A Helping Hand
by Tayjena
Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?
1. Chapter 1

This is kind of an old fic I just recently started working on again.

Title: A Helping Hand

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero sat at his desk, working on a mission report. Much to his relief his loudmouth braided, American roommate was not there. If he had been, Heero knew he wouldn't have been able to finish, the "chatterbox" would have kept trying to distract him until he was unable to ignore him anymore and had to give up on what he was doing.

He sighed a few minutes later as he finished. Sinking back in his chair, he sent off the report. For a moment he stared at the screen, then he closed all the programs he had opened only a short time before.

Heero heaved himself out of his chair. Going to the door, he unlocked it. It was just something he did to keep the braided idiot out while he worked on important things. Even though he knew that if Duo really wanted to get in, he would.

Next he turned and his hand came up and began massaging the back of his neck. He knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Duo burst thought the door. His eyes drifted to his laptop, but instead of seeing the dark blue background he usually kept on the desktop. There was a new document open.

Tensing in anticipation, Heero glared around the room. Was it possible that Duo had snuck into the room and was playing a trick on him?

Heero quickly discarded that thought. Even if Duo had managed to be silent for that long, there was nowhere in there small room for him to hide.

None the less Heero glanced under the beds, though it would be nearly impossible for Duo to squeeze under either of them.

Then he thoroughly searched the cramped closest the two of them were forced to share.

No sign of the American.

"Then who...?"

Heero went to the desk prepared to close the new document. As he approached it though, letters slowly began to appear on the blank screen.

Heero stared at the computer, convinced he must be imagining things, he had spent a lot of time sitting in front of the screen and his eyes had to be playing tricks on him. Then he looked at the keyboard in disbelief, but the keys were in fact being pushed down by some invisible force, and now the letters had formed words on the screen above.

TAKE CARE OF HIM

The four words appeared over and over again until they filled half the page. Then the keys stopped moving.

"Take care of him? Take care of who?" Heero asked the computer for lack of anyone else to question, unsure of what the message meant and who he was suppose to take care of.

"Hee-chan!" A light voice rang through the hallway beyond the door, sounding unusually cheerful. It was still outside the room so Heero quickly clicked the close button on the document then 'no' to save it.

Just then the bound of energy walked through the door. But instead of his insistent rambling, Duo paused at the door, mouth hanging open.

Heero turned to him, fixing his piercing blue eyes on the loudmouth American.

Duo seemed to have come out of his momentarily trace. "Wow! You're actually *not* on your laptop! Have you learned that there's a world beyond that piece of technology?"

Heero snapped," Baka."

Duo grinned and glomped Heero. "I love you too Hee-chan." replied Duo cheekily.

Heero rolled his eyes and growled something. He removed Duo's arms from around him.

Duo tried hard not to let his disappointment show. He was after all use to this kind of thing from Heero. It didn't bother Duo too much, at least he could get close to Heero and that was enough for him right now.

Dropping don on his bed, he watched Heero. He knew the reaction his next words would get from the Japanese boy, but he said it anyway. Attention was attention!

"Oh that's right! You've got Relena."

Heero lunged at Duo, and grabbed him by the throat. He squeezed lightly. His intent was not to really hurt Duo, just warn him and let him know that such comments would not be appreciated.

"How many times do I have to tell you *not* to say that!"

Duo grinned. "Dunno. Maybe when you do something that'll convince me otherwise?"

Heero's hand tightened a little more around Duo's neck. "Baka."

"This doesn't convince me. It just... leaves me to think that you're trying to deny that you really love her." Duo said between gasps for air.

As Heero's hands were about to close even harder around Duo's neck, he heard a soft voice somewhere in the room:

"No! No, don't hurt him! Take care of him!"

Heero looked at Duo, but it seemed the American hadn't heard anything. /Duo? Me take care of him?/ Heero was baffled. What would want him to take care of Duo? And why? He could barely stand the American most days. Everyone knew that.

"Take care of him." It came again and Heero withdrew his hands as fast as though they'd been burned. His eyes darted around the room, trying to find where and more importantly who the voice was coming from.

But save for him and Duo, the room was empty.

Duo stared quizzically at Heero as his roommate went into high-paranoia mode. Raising an eyebrow Duo glanced about the room, trying to decide what had Heero on edge.

Though for as long as Duo had known Heero he'd never been this jumpy and never in one of the bedroom's they stayed in since Heero always made a habit of checking every inch of the room for anything suspicious before unpacking anything.

"Hey Heero? What's wrong?" Duo asked quietly suddenly concerned and serious.

Blue eyes froze and narrowed as they returned once more to Duo. It was obvious now that Duo hadn't heard the voice. But he couldn't say anything about it. The last thing he needed was for the American to deem him crazy. "Nothing."

"Nothing? C'mon! *You* don't freak out and get all paranoid for nothing!"

Heero answered with his typical, 'hn', that Duo had come to expect from his roommate. He was still puzzled by Heero's actions. To him Heero had always been a little strange but now he seemed even stranger, almost crazy. Duo didn't like this one bit. Obviously something had Heero acting paranoid. And something was definitely more than nothing.

/Or maybe he just needs to get out and relax... He's probably been in here all day./ Duo thought after rethinking Heero's actions. And that brought him to what he wanted to ask Heero.

"Ok fine. Don't tell me what's wrong." Duo shot back. "But hey would you..."

"No." Heero interrupted sharply.

"You didn't let me finish!"

"The answer would still be no."

Duo sighed heavily. "Would you like to go out with me tonight?" The, blushing slightly, Duo quickly added, "Ya know just to get out and relax a bit. You seem a little stressed."

Heero glanced Duo over and thought he caught a blush on Duo's cheeks. "No." Heero repeated curtly. He dropped down on his bed.

Duo got down on his knees in front of Heero. He placed his hands together, lining them up palm to palm, finger to finger, looking very much like an innocent child praying to God, instead of a Gundam pilot asking a friend to join him for a night out.

"Please Heero. Come with me? Please." Duo sniffed and batted his eyes. "Please?"

"No."

"Aw please Heero. Just this once."

"No." Heero said again.

That's when Heero heard it again: "Say yes. Go with him. Take care of him."

"No." Heero wasn't sure if he was talking to Duo or the disembodied voice that was seemingly tapping into his mind.

Duo persisted on, this time he'd keep trying until Heero gave in. "Please Heero. Please?"

"Say yes. Don't let him go alone."

Heero couldn't believe his bad luck. Some days it was hard enough not giving into Duo when he wanted Heero to go along with him. And he did, on some level, agree that it would do him some good to get out and maybe enjoy some of life. But it never seemed to be a good time; war wasn't the time to be fooling around when there was so much work to be done. Though now, it seemed like he had two people persuading him to go. And if he thought it was hard to say no to one Duo, it was even harder saying no to two.

"If I say yes, will you shut up?" Heero really asked the voice that he alone could hear.

"Yes!" Duo shouted and to Heero it sounded like he had an echo.

Duo quickly hugged Heero. "Thanks Hee-chan!" When Heero didn't move Duo grabbed his hand and tugged him to his feet. "C'mon. We need to change. I've got the perfect thing for you!: Twenty minutes later Duo was dragging Heero out of the front door of the safe house, and yelling over his shoulder for Quatre not to wait up for them. Duo started up the car and Heero finally voiced his question.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there." Duo chanced a glance at Heero and caught a menacing glare from him. "Oh come on Hee-chan. Trust me. Why is it so hard for you to put even a tiny bit of faith into me?"

"You've given me no reason to trust you."

"Hey that's unfair!" Duo protested, "I saved your ass! And ya stole parts of my Gundam... and left me to think you were dead! You owe me something!" Heero didn't respond. He didn't think his attempt to self-destruct had affected Duo so much. Getting no answer from the stoic pilot Duo decided to switch topics. "So why'd you agree to come?"

Heero remained silent. /Why did I decide to go? I hate going out to clubs... But that voice... it insisted I go with him and take care of him... And it was like arguing with two of him./ "Someone has to keep you out of trouble." Heero finally replied coldly.

"You never cared before." Duo spat back just as forcefully.

"I never had a ghost follow me and demand I go... Never had two against me..." Heero mumbled under his breath.

"Sorry I didn't catch that one."

"Hn." was Heero's only response.

The rest of their trip was spent in silence, Heero contemplating why he was going with Duo and what was happening to him and who that voice was and why it was so insistent about *him* taking care of Duo, and also why it had chosen him in the first place. Duo, on the other hand, had remained quiet because he was sure he had already crossed the line with Heero and didn't want to push it any further and he was wondering why Heero was even coming with him. Heero had never agreed to go clubbing with him before, what could have changed his mind? Usually no matter how much he begged, Heero never wanted to come along.

Although, the fact that he had tonight, certain made Duo very happy.

After a long silence, and a boring one as far as Duo was concerned, he could have thought of better things to do with Heero in the car than drive in silence, half an hour of driving around, Duo finally came to a night club he and possibly Heero might enjoy.

"Here?" Heero asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. C'mon!" Duo insisted, already climbing out of the car.

Heero glanced at a group heading inside. It seemed like a few straight couples until two of the guys turned to each other and kissed. Not knowing whether to be horrified or intrigued, Heero stepped out of the car as well. It wasn't that he had anything against gays, since Quatre and Trowa had made it obvious that they were a couple and so he was comfortable around homosexuals. He just hadn't thought Duo was one too. This certainly raised a few questions about his roommate. It was just no one would guess by the way Duo flirted with every girl he met that he wouldn't be straight.

Heero, also at this point and to admit at least to himself that he wasn't sure about his own sexuality yet.

"Duo?" Heero called out to his friend, his voice trembling slightly.

Duo turned back to him. "Hm? Let's go Hee-chan." He ran back to him and took a hold of Heero's hand. "You're not afraid are you?"

Heero glared, snapping at Duo, "No." His hand closed tightly around Duo's and he allowed the braided boy to drag him into the club.

The inside was dimly lit with lights of all colors, smoke filled the air and loud music blared all around them. The room was also very crowded making Heero a little more nervous. He huddled closer to Duo, not wanting to lose him. Nothing about this place appealed to him and he couldn't understand what Duo liked about this so much.

But the moment he thought about turning and leaving, he also remembered the voice he'd kept hearing. That voice had convinced him to come with Duo and that one that had told him to take care of Duo. As annoying as the American was, Heero certainly didn't want anything to happen to him. Duo was after all, the only thing he had to a friend. So he'd stick around and protect him.

Duo pulled his Japanese friend toward the dance floor. He'd give anything to have just one dance with Heero. Since Heero had agreed to come along, he hoped he could convince Heero to share one dance with him before the night was through.

Heero wouldn't stand for it though. The minute he realized where Duo was taking him he jerked to a stop.

"Wha..?" Duo spun around to face Heero.

"I'm not dancing."

"But Hee-chan... Please..."

"No Duo. I came with you but I'm not going to dance to this."

"So if they played some other music you would?" Duo teased batting his eyes.

"Baka." Heero retorted. Duo sighed and gave in as Heero tugged him over to the only empty table in sight. "I agreed to come, to keep you out of trouble, not dance with you."

"No one here would care Hee-chan." Duo pointed to those couples already on the dance floor, some were straight, and there were some lesbian and gay couples in the crowd too. "Other guys are dancing together."

"No Duo."

"Fine!" Duo yelled frustrated. "Sit here and be... be boring then! I'm gonna go find someone to dance with!" Duo shot up and hurried away, disappearing into the crowd.

It took Heero several minutes to locate Duo. And Duo had in fact found someone to dance with, actually when Heero looked closer, two people! A young blonde woman in a blank miniskirt and a dark hired man who'd removed his shirt. As Heero watched the three of them, his attention was drawn to Duo's slender waist swaying gracefully and sensually to the music. The more Heero watched Duo move with the two, the harder it became to ignore his jealousy. He had to admit that Duo looked exquisite in his tight black leather pants and purple mesh shirt. Now he was almost regretting saying 'no' to dancing with Duo.

Duo stayed out on the dance floor for several long pulsing songs. Heero though just continued to sit there and track him, watching his every move. Sometime while Duo was out there Heero had ordered water. He sighed and wished he wasn't so stubborn. Maybe he'd give in and go dance with Duo.

Then the blaring music quieted to a slow soothing, calm, love song. After only a few measures Duo was back at the table, smiling at Heero, looking incredibly well for someone who'd been dancing for about two hours.

"Sure you don't want to dance?"

Heero still wouldn't allow himself to give in to the urge. "No, Duo."

Duo just grinned. He stared at those still on the dance floor. Sighing, the grin dropped from his face. "I hate sappy love songs. It sucks not having someone to dance with. I wish I had a date..."

Heero suddenly lurched forward, his hands slamming down on the table with such force his water tipped over. Duo jumped and turned to check on his friend.

"Heero! Heero, what happened? Are you alright?" Duo squeezed between the people crowded around the table to lay a hand on Heero's shoulder. He light shook him. "Heero?"

Heero's head suddenly shook. He glanced around a bit confused for a moment. Then he turned his head to look at Duo and his eyes focused and misted over. "Duo...?" He breathed softly. He felt the hand on his shoulder and seemed delighted at the touch. Heero's hand came up and covered Duo's, squeezing it lightly.

"Heero? Are you alright?" asked Duo, his voice filled with concern.

"Yeah. I'm fine Duo. "Heero said in an unusually light, clear, warm, soft voice. His words were slow as though he weren't use to speaking.

"You sure Heero? You sound kinda funny."

"No Duo. I'm fine." Heero's hand tightened on Duo's. "What were we talking about?"

"Uh...?" Duo was dumbfounded; this wasn't the Heero he knew. "I was just wishing I had a date... But don't worry about that. Are you...?"

"Yes fine." Heero interrupted. "Isn't that why you brought me?"

"Uh...?"

"As... your date...?"

"No!" Duo shouted, surprising both of them, and he blushed deeply. "No Heero... I just..."

Heero's body arose from his chair and he pulled Duo onto the dance floor, where another slow song just happened to be playing. "I'll dance with you." Heero brought Duo to him then his arms slipped around Duo's waist.

Duo blushed, not believing Heero was doing this. He laid his head on Heero's shoulder and his hand rested on the opposite shoulder. Relaxing a bit he let Heero lead their dance.

"You sure you're alright Heero?"

"Yes Duo-chan." Heero said softly in that light voice. Duo's eyes fluttered open, but he didn't say anything about what Heero had just said. No one had called him that since... He felt Heero's head being gently set against his and could've sworn he heard that same sweet innocent voice whisper, "I miss you..." He had to be imagining it, didn't he?

The song played on and it seemed to Duo that the whole rest of the world had disappeared. The room, crowded only a moment ago, now consisted of only him and Heero. He was totally aware of what kind of affect being this close to Heero was having on his body. But Heero wouldn't let him pull back enough to hide it. Then Duo realized that he was having the same affect on Heero! They both gasped as their clothed erections rubbed against each other.

Duo lifted his head. Through the smoky air he made eye-contact with Heero. Somehow his eyes seemed to have changed. They were lighter and there was something in them he recognized but couldn't place. But that had to be a trick of the light, right?

Heero's hand came up and outlined Duo's jaw and cheekbone. Duo lifted his head and leaned closer to Heero, his lips nearly brushing his.

Then suddenly the music changed again. Loud and hard. Reality came crashing back to Duo. There seemed to be even more people in the room then before and Duo felt crowded. Yet he pressed forward, eager to kiss Heero for the first time.

Just as his lips were about to make contact, a breath apart, Heero pulled away. "What are you doing?" He asked in his usual harsh monotone.

"I... I was just..."

Heero noticed he was on the dance floor but he had no memory of agreeing to dance with Duo. "How did we get out here?"

Duo stared at Heero, more hurt than confused. Dark blue eyes were as hard and cold as ever he'd seen. "You... you asked me to dance."

"I don't remember doing such a thing."

"Well you did!"

Heero said nothing, just stared back at Duo. He had no memory of asking Duo but yet he must have for them to be standing on the dance floor about to kiss. He couldn't make sense of any of it. Rather than seeing if anything else would happen, Heero dashed through the crowd as fast as he could, pushing and shoving people out of his way.

Duo stood there in shock, staring off in the direction Heero had gone in. He felt like part of him had been taken from him. He couldn't understand any of the resent events. Heero had been acting so kind and caring, something that made him think about...

Duo shook his head. He couldn't continue to think about Solo. He was dead...

Then Heero had gone back to his old cruel self.

Duo whirled about, heading in the other direction. On his way he caught a few sympathetic glanced, one guy even stopped him to tell him that 'that guy obviously doesn't know a good thing when he sees it'. Duo just rolled his eyes at the lame come on and kept going until he ran out the back door.

~TBC~


	2. Chapter 2

Title: A Helping Hand 2

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warning: shonen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Betaed by: chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...* ~bold

About an hour later, Heero felt horrible for what he'd done to Duo. Just because he couldn't remember asking Duo to dance was no reason to get so upset with him. He felt like such an asshole, Duo obviously had feelings for him -finally made apparent to Heero because of that fact that Duo was about to kiss him- and he'd just pushed him away and left him alone.

"And I call him an idiot..." he mumbled under his breath. /I'd better find him and apologize./ He told himself.

"About time you came to your senses," came that same voice again, light and clear despite the loud music, but there was something different about it now. Something that sounded like an underlying note of anger. "Damn you're stubborn! I didn't want him to be hurt! I asked you to take care of him!"

/Maybe you asked the wrong guy./

"No, I didn't! You'll understand why later."

Then Heero shivered, feeling a cold breath on his neck. He started to look around when an icy hand claimed his. He stared at the pale boy in shock.

"Come on. He needs help."

Heero too stunned to object followed the pale boy through the crowd. It was hard to keep up with him. Despite the boy's pale complexion and frail appearance, he was quick and shoved guys twice his size out of his way without any effort, and no one really seemed to care.

Once Heero saw the exit sign he knew where they were heading and no longer needed to follow the boy. After he'd pushed through the door and let it swing shut again he had to wait for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of the alley.

At first he could neither see nor hear the boy he'd followed all this way. Then he heard a soft voice beckoning him further into the alley. He listened and followed it deeper into it.

Seeing nothing, Heero became suspicious. What if this was some kind of trap, and he'd just walked right into it? He proceeded with extra caution. There was still a possibility that Duo was seriously hurt.

That's when he spotted something laying on the ground. It wasn't moving and the closer Heero got, the more he could make out. It was a person with very fair skin. Heero felt sick when he saw long hair, tangled and knotted covering the unconscious boy. Standing over the form, he found that his shirt had been literally ripped off and his leather pants were down around his ankles.

Choking back the sickness that threatened to overwhelm him, Heero knelt beside the figure. Softly touching Duo's face, he noticed his lip was bleeding and there looked to be a bruise on his cheek and his eye was possibly swollen shut.

"Duo... Go get..." Heero started looking around for the boy who'd led him there to tell him to get help.

There was no one there.

"Hn." Turning back to Duo he tried to wake him up. "Duo. Duo. Come on, wake up."

It seemed like forever before Duo's one eye open, the other one too sore for him to open and too swollen.

"Duo."

"He... ero..."

"Shh... Just stay here. I'll be right back with help." Heero started to stand, when Duo's hand shot out and clamped tightly onto his, with what seemed to be all the strength he could muster.

"No... Don't... leave me..."

"Duo. I have to get help."

"Please... Don't go..."

Heero sighed frustrated. He couldn't blame Duo for not wanting to be alone, yet he knew he shouldn't move him and should get him help.

"Can you stand?"

"I dunno..."

Against his better judgment, he eased his arms under Duo and carefully lifted him up. Slowly Heero brought Duo against his chest. Duo shivered in his arms and Heero reached for Duo's pants. Looping one arm around his neck, he used one arm to hold Duo up, while the other slowly and tediously slid Duo's pants up his legs. He didn't bother to fasten them, it had taken several long minutes just to get them up and over Duo's hips, he couldn't figure out how Duo managed to squeeze into the pants, let alone fasten them.

Holding Duo against his chest, Heero slipped his other arm under Duo's knees and lifted him up. Slowly he rose to his feet. As he drew closer to the opening of the alley, more light shone on Duo and Heero noticed several bruises and wounds on Duo's chest.

"Dammit. I shouldn't have moved you."

Duo tried to laugh. "Concerned about... lil.. old me... Hee-chan...?"

"Baka."

"Yeah well... Blame it on me... I wouldn't let you leave... me alone... So just get me home..."

/How long has he been like this?/

"It only happened right before I came to get you... Just hurry!"

/That was you!/

"Don't worry about it! Hurry up!"

Heero only nodded at Duo. When he got to the car, he examined Duo more closely. There were three different kinds of stabbed wounds and Heero was worried Duo would bleed to death before he could get him anywhere to take care of him. He sighed heavily not ready to question Duo about what had happened. Heero set Duo down next to the car and took off his shirt, and placed it over Duo's wounds.

"Keep the pressure on it."

"I know Heero..."

Pausing a moment, he stared down at Duo. He began digging in Duo's pants pockets to find the keys.

"They keys are... in the car..." Duo stuttered, breaking Heero's thoughts about asking him what had happened and about his cuts and bruises, all replaced by wanting to get him back to the safe house and seeing what he could do to take care of him. "Under the seat..." Duo continued.

He opened the back door and then picked Duo up and as gently as he could set Duo down on the sear. Duo shivered when he was set in the cold car. Heero shut the door, and then got in on the driver's side. Reaching under the seat he felt under and sure enough, there were the keys. Heero shook his head, but he picked them up, put them in the ignition and started up the car.

As he drove out of the parking lot, he glanced in the rearview mirror and spotted Duo still shaking with cold. Despite the warmth of the night, Heero turned on the heat, setting it on high. Though Heero was very uncomfortable with it on, Duo nodded his thanks.

"Why under the seat?"

"Uh?"

"The keys? Why under the seat?"

Duo shrugged his shoulders. "My pants are too... tight to get 'em... into my pocket...?"

"Baka." Heero retorted, but for the first time, he didn't mean it at all.

"Love you... too Hee-chan..."

"Do you know how much he really means that?" That haunting voice was back.

/No. He couldn't love me.../ Heero thought he heard a sigh. /Where'd you go? Why didn't you start to help me?/

"Well it's not that easy... I'm not exactly... alive...?

/A ghost?/

"Yeah, I thought that was obvious... I'm an old friend of Duo's..."

The rest of the trip back was quiet. Heero constantly checking the mirror, Duo had stopped shaking bit he, understandably, was not acting like himself at all. He was uncannily quiet and Heero could see tears rolling down his cheeks.

"He hasn't cried in a long time..."

/Why is he now?/

"He's scared. Embarrassed that you found him like this."

Heero pulled into the driveway and shut off the engine. He stepped out and opened the door to help Duo.

"I... I can walk..." Duo stated grabbing Heero's hand and used it to pull himself out of the car and onto his feet. Duo looked at Heero then hugged him.

Heero stiffened. He didn't know to respond to this right now. Then a cold hand grasped his arm and guided it around Duo. Embracing Duo, Heero noted how nice... almost right it felt to hold him like this.

"Duo," Heero took a deep breath, "What happened?"

Duo drew back quickly and had to brace himself against the car. "I don't... wanna... talk about it..."

"Duo..."

"I just... not right now Heero..." Duo staggered away, holding the car to steadily himself. When he got away from it he barely maintained his footing.

"Help him!" The ghost shouted in Heero's ear. Within seconds Heero was at Duo's side, his arm around Duo's waist to support him.

"Thanks..." Duo mumbled as they walked into the safe house, holding Heero's shirt tightly against chest. The other three pilots were all still up, sitting in the living room. Wufei was on the floor in the corner meditating, while Quatre and Trowa were getting cozy on the couch.

When Quatre glanced up at the two and saw Duo, he pushed away Trowa's wondering hand. Jumping up, he ran to Duo, looking him over curiously. "Oh my Duo... What happened?"

Heero spoke before Duo had the chance. "Just get the first aid kit and meet us upstairs. Quatre nodded and disappeared while Trowa and Wufei both got up and helped Heero carry Duo up the stairs.

Heero suddenly became very concerned about how much blood Duo had lost. He didn't remember seeing any in the leery due to the darkness but he'd seen Duo bleed when he'd carried him and now his shirt was completely soaked with the dark red liquid. Silently he cursed himself for not taking better care of Duo's injuries, but at least he'd sped home fast enough that they could take care of him now.

"He'll be alright." The ghost told him confidently, but Heero was not so sure."

"Believe me. Just take care of him."

But when they set Duo down on his bed, Heero left the room. Quatre came in with the first-aid kit and sat next to Duo. Heero came back a few moments later with some warm water and a sponge. He set them on the bedside table and went and sat down at his desk turning his back toward Duo.

Almost instantly words were angrily appearing on a new blank document that had opened by itself:

What are you doing! You should be taking care of him!

Quatre can handle it.

Heero typed back.

Look over there you idiot! Duo's not letting him! Now get off this damn thing and go help him before I break it!

Heero glanced over his shoulder and the ghost was right. Duo kept moving away from Quatre's attempts nor would he talk to Quatre. Turning back to his laptop he asked"

What do you want me to do!

He'll only talk to you. He'll respond to you.

Why me?

You found him; you are the only one to see him that way.

I thought you said he was embarrassed about me finding him like that?

He is. But he trusts you because you did. You found him, you know what he looked like back there; he doesn't want anyone else to see or know how he was found... He really didn't want you to find him like that either but he trusts you.

We've all seen each beat up before.

Not like this. He's more than just physically beaten. He's scared and hurt and you're the only one to see him that vulnerable.

It all clicked with Heero and he pushed away from the desk. Standing, he walked over to the bed. Softly he set his hand on Quatre's shoulder.

"Go, I'll take care of him."

Quatre and Duo both stared at him. "You sure?" Quatre asked.

Heero nodded. Quatre rose from his spot on the bed. "Alright; take it easy Duo." Duo gave him a brief nod and then Quatre was gone and Heero occupied his seat on the bed.

Duo stared at Heero with wide amethyst orbs. He shook a little more when he saw Heero wring out the sponge. Heero motioned for him to come closer and Duo scooted over to him. Taking his blood soaked shirt and throwing it on the floor, Heero carefully wiped away the blood from Duo's skin, stopped after each one to tend the wounds.

"I should take you to the hospital."

"But... can't you...?"

"Yes but..."

"I trust you Heero."

Heero swallowed hard. None of Duo's wounds really required to be sewn, but Heero was still worried. He cleaned and covered them with gauze, bandages and tape to hold them all in place. Duo flinched every time he touched one of the deep cuts, no matter how gently he was when touching any of them.

Halfway through the sponge bath and tending, Heero decided he'd better get some clean water. "I'll be right back. I'll get some ice for your eye too." Heero stood up, taking the water with him. "Why don't you take your pants off so I can wash your legs for you...?"

Duo shook his head furiously. His breathing had picked up and he seemed very nervous. "No Heero...I can finish myself... thank you..."

"Duo..."

"No!" Duo's whole body began to tremble.

Setting down the bowl of water, Heero resumed his spot at Duo's side. Without hesitating, and without any guidance from the ghost, Heero put his arms around Duo, hugging him close. His fingers slowly worked through Duo's tangled hair and Duo had to smile - a small smile but a smile nonetheless. He'd always wanted to have Heero run his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry, Heero..." Duo sobbed.

Heero was shocked. "You have nothing to be sorry for Duo. This wasn't your fault.""

"Sorry you had to find me like that this and have to take care of me. Sorry I'm such a bother."

"Duo, if I hadn't found you, who know what else, could have happened to you. And you're not a bother."

Duo sniffed and backed away from Heero's embrace. "... Thanks Hee-chan..." Heero nodded and got up. "I'll help you to the bathroom so you can..."

"Thanks..."

Heero helped Duo to his feet and helped him to the bathroom.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Heero said as he left the room, shutting the door, to get some clean water from the kitchen instead.

Duo glanced at himself in the mirror with his one open eye. "Dammit... Not the way I want Heero to see me... I look like shit!" Slowly Duo began to pry himself out of his pants. Once out of them, he through them into the corner horrified by what he saw, and stared down at his naked self - he hadn't worn anything under his pants, made them easier to get into. He felt sick. Holding on to the sink, he moved over to the toilet. He unrolled a generous amount of toilet paper and ripped it off. Reaching behind him, he painfully started to clean himself.

Duo felt like crying again. He'd lost his dignity and self-respect in one swift moment. His physical innocence had been viciously taken from him. His whole frame of mind had changed. He felt so violated; he never wanted anyone to touch him again, afraid to be hurt again. It had felt like his body was being torn in two. Never before had he felt so horrible.

Yet he had let Heero touch him, clean him. Why?

"You trust him. You know he won't hurt you."

Duo smiled wryly as he heard the voice. One he'd heard many times, one he often talked to and asked guidance from. Even though from time to time he had to remind himself that the owner of the voice was gone, he still had to talk to him and hear him, always made him feel a little safer. "Solo... You're right... I do trust Heero..."

Meanwhile Heero had been pinned in the corner of the kitchen by Quatre. The blond was determined to find out what was wrong with his friend, what had happened on his outing with Heero. A boy Quatre knew, Duo absolutely loved. He stared at Heero with uncharacteristically cold, light blue eyes.

"What happened to him?"

"I'm not sure."

"You're not sure! You were with him! How can you not know what happened!"

"I wasn't with him the whole time. I don't know what happened and he doesn't want to talk about it."

Quatre sighed and regained his gentle nature. "Is he alright?"

"I'll take care of him. When he's ready, he'll talk about it." Heero gently pushed past Quatre and went back up to the bathroom, stopping for a moment to get the first-aid kit out of the bedroom. Softly he knocked on the bathroom door. "Duo? Can I come in?" A flushing sound answered him before he heard Duo give him permission to enter.

Opening the door, Heero stepped in and closed the door behind him. There was Duo, sitting on the toilet, looking to be on the verge of tears. He was fingering a portion of his hair, inspecting the blood staining it.

"When you're done, I have to wash my hair."

Heero set the bowl and the kit down on the counter and took hold of Duo's wrist. "And how do you expect to do with this?" He turned his hand upward so Duo could see the defensive wounds on it. Ones he'd completely ignored and hadn't even realized were there until just now.

"I'll just do it with my other hand."

"Duo." Heero showed him his other hand.

Duo stared at his hands both supporting defensive wounds. "Well, I couldn't just let them, Heero... I had to defend myself! I..."

Suddenly he felt two strong arms around him. Duo leaned into the comfort they offered. He embraced Heero as well, and just cried again.

"I have to wash my hair..." Duo stated. "It's covered in blood... I can't..."

"I'll wash it for you, Duo."

Duo pulled away and just stared at Heero, startled. "You... you will?"

Heero nodded slowly. "I'll take care of you."

Duo's cheeks flushed slightly and a very faint smile curled his lips. "Thanks Heero... I owe you one..."

Heero shook his head. "No. I owed you." He didn't explain, but he was sure Duo would understand what he was referring to. Breaking their hug, Heero got the water and started to wash off Duo's legs. They weren't as bad as his upper half.

Then he got the kit and bandaged Duo's hands. He didn't need him trying to use them and getting them infected. Duo watched as Heero wrapped his hands. It made him feel good knowing Heero was taking such good care of him; the fact that it was *Heero* taking care of him also made him feel good.

With that taken care of, Heero had Duo stand up so he could look at his back. Duo was hesitant, but he finally stood up and let Heero examine and tend his back, cleaning it softly. Duo was very surprised by the tenderness Heero was showing him.

While Heero cleaned him up, Duo undid what was left of his braid. He tried to work through the tangles with his fingers, but to no avail.

"How should we wash your hair?" Heero asked as he finished.

"S'ppose I could stick my head under the faucet and you can wash it?"

"Alright."

Heero went over to the tub. He turned on the hot water first then slowly added cold. Waving Duo over he had him test it. Duo stuck his fingers under the water. He nodded to Heero.

Slowly duo got on his knees and bent over the side of the tub. Heero helped Duo flip his hair over his head and get it under the faucet. Carefully Heero moved Duo's hair under the flow of warm water, making sure to thoroughly drench all of it. When all of Duo's hair was completely wet, Heero reached for the shampoo.

"How much?"

"'Bout two handfuls..."

Heero flipped open the bottle and squeezed a handful of the clear-purplish ooze-like substance into his hand. Immediately his nose was assaulted with the rich scent of wildflowers and herbs. Duo must have smelled it too because he laughed tensely and said:

"Wow… There's what like five shampoo's sitting there and you miraculously pick mine on the first try. How'd you manage that?"

"How many times have you jumped on me?" Heero asked as he began working the shampoo into Duo's hair. Bringing it all to the top of his head, he massaged Duo's head, building up the lather.

"Um... too many?" Duo responded shyly.

"Yeah... I know how your hair smells and I guessed by the label which was yours." Heero returned, getting down to the nape of Duo's neck.

Duo felt nervous, yet excited at the same time. No one had ever washed his hair for him before; he barely let anyone touch it. Yet now he had the one person in world he'd always want to touch his hair, washing it for him.

"Back, under the water." Heero instructed and Duo eased his head back under the water. He felt Heero fingers running through it again, flushing out the soap. He moved hair, checking it for left over shampoo.

"Conditioner?"

"Two to three handfuls..."

"Whoa..." Heero took a handful of conditioner and just worked it through the ends, rubbing them in between his hands. With the second handful he worked on the middle section and with the third he finished with the top. He pulled all the hair to the top again and just worked whatever was left through his hair, using another handful off conditioner just to be sure. As he did so he thought he heard a soft moan emit from Duo's throat.

Duo leaned forward and let the water wash away the conditioner. Again he felt Heero's fingers moving through his hair. Despite how much pain he was in, Duo felt his entire body beginning to relax.

"Anything else?" Heero asked as he rinsed Duo's hair.

"Sometimes I repeat, but you don't have to..." But as he finished his sentence, he already felt Heero massaging more shampoo throughout his hair. "Heero... You didn't have to..."

"It'll help to make sure all the blood and dirt gets out." So then the lathering and rinsing cycle began again. Then Heero repeated the same process with the conditioner.

Once he finished with it all for the second time, Heero stepped back. He started down at his wrinkled fingers. Moving away from the tub, Heero opened the small linen closet and pulled out a towel.

Duo had sat up and turned off the water. First squeezing the access water from his hair, he then flipped it all back over his head, spraying Heero a little. He had a crick in his neck, but at least his hair was clean.

"Here." Heero said, handing Duo the towel. "I'll go get you something to wear."

Duo glanced up at Heero, taking hold of the towel. "Yeah... just a pair of boxers and a shirt will be fine... Boxers are in the top drawer and the shirts are in the second one."

"Alright; I'll be back to help you."

Heero stepped through and closed the door. Duo sighed, a small happy sigh. He used his sore hands to bring his hair back over his shoulder then he wrapped it in the towel and patted and squeezed it to help it dry.

While getting Duo's clothes, Heero checked the clock. He couldn't believe his eyes, he had to blink and read it again. It had taken close to an hour and a half to wash Duo's hair.

Heero came back into the bathroom and gave Duo his clothes. "I'll never yell at you for taking a two hour shower again."

"Told you, if you ever washed my hair you'd understand."

Heero knelt down beside him. With Duo protesting the whole time, Heero helped him dress. He slipped his shirt on over his head and helped Duo get his arms through.

"I can dress myself."

None the less, Duo allowed Heero to get him on his feet. He leaned against Heero as he pulled up his boxers. Duo almost laughed when he saw the boxers Heero had picked out for him; they were his champagne patterned ones.

Duo continued to lean against Heero as they walked to their room. Heero settled Duo down on his bed.

"You need anything?" Heero asked stifling a yawn.

"No... Nothing but sleep which it seems you need just as much as me." Duo reached over and picked up his brush, which always laid on his nightstand, he nearly yelped in pain as his cut up hand closed around the handle. He glanced over at Heero was already started to get himself ready for bed.

"Heero...?" Duo started timidly. His friend turned to him with a questioning look. "Will you do me another favor?"

Heero came back over to the bed. "What is it Duo?"

"Will you... uh... brush my hair?"

Heero couldn't think of what to say. He knew Duo hardly let anyone touch his hair, let alone brush it. And he certainly had never had to brush long hair. "Uh... Wouldn't you rather have Quatre do it...? I mean..."

"No... I'd rather have you do it... Please..."

"Sure thing Duo..." Heero smiled slightly.

"Thanks Hee-chan."

Duo scooted forward so Heero could sit down behind him. He handed his brush back to Heero. Duo tensed all over again. Heero was going to brush his hair! He almost felt giddy. It was another fantasy he'd always had of Heero. Having Heero brush out his hair for him and then both of them being so turned on by the simple chore that Heero would make slow, sweet, passionate love to him afterwards, and then they'd have to brush it all over again. In his dreams Heero always liked him with his hair down and he always obliged happily.

Right now though, he really didn't know if he was up to the act of love-making, physically or emotionally. He did still however like the fact that Heero was going to brush his hair.

"Be gentle with him," the ghost told Heero.

Timidly Heero raised the brush to the top of Duo's head. Slowly he began to bring it down through the chestnut locks. Immediately, he encountered a knot in Duo's hair. And because he wasn't use to brushing so much hair, Heero unintentionally pulled a little too hard and Duo whimpered.

"Sorry, sorry..." Heero's voice shook nervously as he apologized. He almost had to laugh at himself. After everything he'd been through the only thing that had ever made him nervous was this; brushing Duo's hair and pulling it too hard.

"It's okay... You've never had to deal with this much hair before..."

Heero sighed heavily; he didn't know how he was supposed to do it. Then he heard the voice again:

"Take hold of all of it at his neck and work through that first. That way it won't hurt him as much if you pull it too hard."

Heero did as the ghost instructed. He gathered all of Duo's hair and held it in a tight fist at his neck. He began again, being as careful as he could. Softly he eased the brush through Duo's long tresses. The ghost was right, the next time he encountered a snarl and began to pull through it, Duo didn't whimper this time, didn't even seem to notice it.

Duo felt himself relax even more. It'd been so long since anyone else had brushed his hair. It actually felt very nice. And he could tell by the way Heero was carefully tugging his brush through snarls that he was trying very hard not to hurt him

Heero went back up to where his fist was holding Duo's hair. He worked the brush back through the part he'd just gotten through. This time he got all the way to the end without a single snarl. Moving back up, he shifted over a little and began the process again. Slipping the brush through the hair; gently tugging through knots until he could get the brush completely through the new section without finding one. Then he'd start again."

"Hey... Heero?" Duo asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Heero grunted without stopping his motions.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

That stopped Heero. "You just went through something tragic and it shouldn't have happened to you." Heero began to brush again. "And I guess I feel a little responsible... I shouldn't have gotten so upset. Obviously I did ask you to dance... then I snapped at you for no reason. I should have protected you..."

"Heero it's not your fault." Duo told him, tearing at the answer Heero'd given him.

"Hn"

Duo didn't say anything; he really was not in the mood to aggravate Heero. He focused instead on the brush going through his hair. Smiling, he closed his eyes. It felt so good to have someone else do this for him. He was lost in the ecstasy and he made soft sounds of pleasure as he began to drift to sleep.

Heero passed the brush through the last of Duo's hair and he thought he was done until the ghost told him otherwise.

"You need to brush the underside."

/What? You're kidding?/

"Nope."

Heero sighed and lifted the hair to get his hand underneath and started to brush through. He found a few tiny tangles but they were small and didn't take long.

Heero released Duo's hair from his iron grip and spread it out. It fell down Duo's back and across the bed, ending in Heero's lap. Starting at Duo's head, Heero brushed all the way down, making sure he'd gotten all the knots out. He did that until he'd made it through all of Duo's hair. Then Heero set the brush down and just ran his fingers through the damp, soft, silky strands. He didn't know how long he'd wanted to do that.

"Duo, I'm finished." He told the other boy softly.

"He's asleep."

Heero leaned forward a bit and brushed aside a piece of Duo's hair to see his face. Sure enough, his eyes were closed and when Heero listened he could hear him softly snoring as well. Duo looked so peacefully. He thought about just laying Duo down and letting him sleep, when the ghosted insisted:

"Braid it."

Heero looked at the damp strands. He wanted to, but he had no idea how to braid hair. Then right before his eyes, the hair parted itself into three sections. They were slowly crossed over each other. After watching the weaving for just a few seconds, Heero took over.

"Why'd he fall asleep?"

"It was very relaxing for him to have someone else brush it for him. It's been a long time since anyone did it for him and so it made him feel good." The spirit was silent for a moment, then added. "Feel privileged."

"Why?"

"He doesn't let everyone see him with his hair down and only people he really trusts are allowed to touch it. And there's only been one other person to brush and braid it."

"You?" Heero asked as he came to the end of the braid.

"No. Not me. A nun, that took care of him when he was younger."

A hair band suddenly floated over to him. It put Heero a little on edge, seeing the black hair tie float in air by it's self, but he took it and tied off the braid. Silently he had to admit he liked having the ghost around, and learning new things about his roommate from him.

Heero shifted around Duo. Softly he touched Duo's face, brushing aside Duo's bangs. Setting his hand on Duo's shoulder, he shook his lightly.

"Duo... Duo, wake up. Wake up."

Duo jerked awake, blinking his eyes to focus. "Wha... happened...?" he asked drowsily.

"You fell asleep."

Duo's heart fluttered in his chest as Heero's hand moved toward him. But then it went over his should and the pounding stopped. Then a braid fell against his chest and Duo looked down at it. "You braided it?"

"Yeah, I know you like having it in a braid." Heero ran his hand over the braid.

"Thanks Heero... I really appreciate it." Duo leaned forward and wrapped his sore arms around Heero. He felt Heero's arms come up around him and hold him. Pressing a little closer he stayed in Heero's arms a little longer than necessary.

Heero pulled away slowly. "You should get some rest."

Duo nodded and let Heero lay him down on the bed. The blankets were brought up around him and he snuggled into the warmth, holding his braid tightly. He half expected Heero to kiss his forehead, it would have made the 'tucking him in' perfect. But he knew it wouldn't happen.

"Heero, did you mean all that? About me being too good a person to have this happen to me?"

"I don't say things I don't mean, Duo." Heero said as he finished tucking Duo in and walked around the room. Duo shifted a bit, holding the blanket down, so he could see Heero. While watching, he saw Heero turn off the lights. Then his eyes followed him as he went to his desk and turned on his laptop. The harsh light silhouetted Heero's form. Heero's fingers began steadily tapping the keys. This would usually drive him just as crazy as his annoying antics drove Heero crazy, but tonight was different. Tonight it was soothing, so soothing that it helped lure Duo back to sleep.

Heero really didn't have any reason to be sitting there. He was merely keeping himself awake until he was sure that Duo was asleep. His eyes fell shut and his head dropped forward slightly. He snapped back awake. Part of him just wanted to crawl into bed and rest for the night. The other part was determined to stay awake and watch Duo the whole night.

Rising to his feet, he swung his chair over to Duo's bed. He sat down and just observed Duo. The braided-teen seemed to sleeping sounding, clutching his braid. Heero was just about to give into his own fatigue when Duo began shivering. Heero drew the blankets tighter up around Duo and was just about to get up and get more when his whole body lunged forward again.

This time when he sat back up, his eyes blinked to focus. Glancing at Duo's sleeping form, a soft, tender smile came to Heero's lips. Carefully folding the blanket back, Heero eased in bedside Duo. Heero's arms slipped around him and he pressed close to Duo to keep him warm.

"I've missed you, Duo."

"Solo?" Duo asked in his sleep.

"Yes."

"I miss you."

Solo made Heero's lips twist in a small smile and then he touched them to Duo's cheek. It was one of the things he'd always wanted to do but he hadn't had the chance before he died.

"I love you Duo."

"Love you too Solo."

Solo let Heero's body given into the fatigue it was feeling, although he would have much rather stayed awake and stare at his best friend. He just hoped he'd made the right choice for Duo.

~TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Title: A Helping Hand 3

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

In the morning, Heero was surprised to find himself in Duo's bed, with said teen curled up against him. He tried to pull himself away from the other boy but Duo was clinging tightly to him and curled back up against him. Slowly he drew away again and like before Duo held tight and cuddled back into him.

"No Solo..." Duo mumbled in his sleep. "Don't leave me again..."

/Solo? Who's Solo?/ Heero wondered.

Heero kept still with his arms firmly around Duo. The way Duo clung to him; he knew he wouldn't be able to get away from him. If so, he also knew he'd be there for quite awhile. This was certainly going to be different for Heero; he wasn't use to staying in bed all day.

Every once and awhile, Duo would shift or mumble in his sleep. Heero did his best to slip away whenever Duo moved but that proved useless, Duo would, even in his sleep, tighten his grip on Heero and snuggle close again.

About eleven-O-clock Duo started to wake up. Yawning cutely, he nuzzled against the soft flesh of Heero's neck. His legs stretched out and he cuddled for a moment again. Then his eyes blinked open. Shock filled them when he saw Heero in his bed with him.

"Ano... Heero...?"

"Ohayo Duo."

"Ohayo Heero. Uh... what are you doing in my bed?"

/Wish I knew.../ Heero glared at the ceiling as thought it knew the answer and was keeping it from him. "I was tired last night and you were cold."

"So why not get me more blankets?"

"Hn, I was trying to take care of you. Physical warmth is better that just wrapping you in blankets. I thought this was the best thing to do for you." Heero said, logically, hoping it sounded truthful.

Duo scowled himself. /Shut up you idiot, you know you don't really mind that he's in your bed./ "Well... uh... thanks Heero... I think... I hope I didn't kick you too hard..."

"You didn't kick me at all, just... cuddled..."

"I cuddled you?"

"Yes."

Duo blushed, biting his lip and lowering his eyes. Slowly he backed away from Heero, relinquishing his hold on the other teen. He couldn't bring himself to look at Heero, embarrassed by what he'd done, even if he had been asleep.

"Sorry Heero... I just have a tendency to move toward the nearest heat source when I'm asleep."

"It's alright Duo. I'm the one that climbed into your bed." Heero said as he climbed out.

"Yeah..." Duo whispered under his breath. "You can climb in anytime you want…" But the thought didn't excite him as much as if would have a couple days ago.

"You hungry?" Heero asked.

Duo started to sit up. "Yeah sure, Thanks..."

Heero stormed over and shoved Duo back down on his bed. Then he walked out the door. "Stay in bed. I'll get it."

"Hey!" Duo called out then coughed. "You don't even know what I want!" But Heero was no longer within distance to hear him and he really didn't care. He knew Duo had to eat something to regain his strength.

As he was heading for the kitchen, Quatre caught up with him. "Heero! Heero! How is he?"

"Hungry." Heero responded sharply.

Quatre stopped in his tracks. "Well as least he still has his appetite." he ran to catch Heero again. "But what else, what happened? Is he alright?"

"I don't know yet. And yes."

"You don't know!" Then Quatre looked Heero over. "Why are you still dressed for bed? Usually you're dressed by now."

"Hn." Heero went into the kitchen without answering either question. He ignored both Wufei and Trowa as they eyed him getting out Duo's favorite sugar filled cereal.

Then Quatre came in. "Heero."

"He didn't tell me yet. He just woke. I uh...I just didn't sleep well and so I'm going to get him something to eat and then I'm getting dressed and will be down for lunch. Is that alright with you Quatre?" Heero growled back.

Quatre gulped and dropped into the chair beside Trowa. He shook and his blue eyes were wide. "Ah... yeah... Course it is..." Trowa just glare at Heero for being so rude to his lover.

Heero poured some milk on Duo's cereal, then some orange juice into a glass. Looking in one of the cabinets he found a breakfast tray. He set both the glass and the bowl on it. Then he carefully picked it up and carried the tray up to the bedroom.

Duo's cheeks turned a light shade of pick when Heero came in carrying the tray. That giddy feeling nearly overwhelmed him again. This reminded Duo of yet another fantasy he'd had about Heero.

"Ah... thanks Hee-chan." Duo blushed even more. But unlike his fantasy Heero wouldn't be feeding him and he certainly wouldn't be kissing him either.

"You're welcome."

Duo took a few bites and then laid back down, a sickening feeling building up in the pit of his stomach. Heero sat down on Duo's bed.

"You have to eat, Duo."

"No... I'm not really that hungry... I don't deserve to eat..." Duo said mournfully.

"Duo, Don't say that. It wasn't your fault."

"It must have been... why else..." Duo trailed off, overcome with emotions.

"No Duo. It wasn't your fault. Now you have to eat." Heero looked Duo over. "Either you feed yourself or I'll feed you."

Duo's whole face flushed. Slowly he sat back up and began eating again. Heero's gaze never left him as he watched Duo eat every last bite. After Duo was finished he gulped down the glass of orange juice and then told Heero he was full. It was strange for Duo to only eat one bowl of cereal but Heero let it go, satisfied that he had at least eaten something.

Duo dropped back against his pillow, his eyes falling shut. His breathing stayed even and he seemed to be just resting. Heero took the tray off Duo's bed and set it on the floor. He stood up and crossed the room to his dresser. Taking a few minutes to get what he needed from each drawer he then left the room, heading for the bathroom.

Shutting the door, he went over to the tub and turned on the water. As he stripped his eyes fell on Duo's pants, still lying in the corner of the room. Flipping up the switch for the shower he stepped under the warm water. He only took minutes to wash himself and his hair and then he was out again.

Pulling a towel out of the closet, he dried himself off. Then he began to dress. After pulling his shirt on over his head, he picked up what he'd been wearing. As he was leaving he picked up Duo's pants as well. He carried them into the bedroom where he found Duo sitting up in bed unbraiding his hair.

"What are you doing?" Heero asked, dropping the clothes into a basket.

Duo looked up and saw him. Then lowering his gaze he saw his leather pants in Heero's basket. "What are you doing with my pants?"

"I was going to wash them for you and the rest of your clothes for you. It would be hard for you to right now."

"I'm not helpless you know."

"I know Duo. But you need to rest and I'm just helping until you feel better." Heero gathered Duo's heap of clothes from the corner, along with his blood stained shirt and tossed them in his basket as well. "Is there any special instructions for any of you laundry?"

Duo shrugged. "Dunno. I just washed 'em all the same." He saw the glare on Heero's face and added, "I know some of them need to be cleaned a certain way but... I just don't. And if anything happens to my clothes I won't blame you."

"So what about you? What are you doing?"

"Gonna re-braid my hair. It always gets messed up at night so I re-do it in the morning."

Heero walked over and got Duo's brush from his nightstand. "May I?"

At Heero's offer, Duo blushed and he thought he saw Heero do the same. "Ah... yeah... if ya want to."

Heero took a seat behind Duo and gathered Duo's hair. He let his fingers gently slide through Duo's hair. "It's still damp'"

"It happens all the time. But just do it."

Heero brushed through the long tresses without a snarl. Duo's curled locks were so much easier to brush now than they had been last night. Now Heero certainly did feel privileged, he could hear Duo practically purring.

Heero just kept slipping the brush through Duo's hair. Something about this made him feel different. He wasn't sure how to describe it.

Duo's hair was nearly completely dry by the time Heero finally stopped brushing. He separated it, brushing each strand away from each other. That done he took one side and crossed it over the middle then the other side of that and back and forth, slowly weaving. As he did so he also noted how quiet Duo was, as much as Duo's constant babbling annoyed him, at the moment he missed it. At least when Duo talked he knew everything was alright inside the American's head, but now things weren't right and it bothered him.

"Duo?"

"Hm?"

"You're quiet."

"Oh... I... Well isn't that what you always wanted, me to shut the hell up?" Duo asked sourly.

"It's just... not you."

"Yeah well..." Duo sighed. "I don't feel like myself anymore."

Heero finished off Duo's braid without another word. Duo then turned to him. Heero looked down at Duo's hands, and softly touched his fingers.

"I hate being so helpless..."

"You're not helpless Duo. You just need to rest and heal. You lost a lot of blood last night and you need to let your body replenish is and regain your strength."

"Then you're gonna make me do your laundry?" Duo joked lightly.

"Only, if you're offering to." Heero returned then added, "I'm not doing any of this for you to repay me, Duo. I'm doing if because you're hurt and you won't let anyone else take care of you."

Duo blushed a bit. "Would you mind if I hugged you, Heero?"

"You've done it before without asking."

"Yeah... but... um..."

"No Duo. I don't mind."

Duo gave a small timid smile and leaned over, wrapping his arms around Heero. In return he felt Heero's arms come up around him. He moved closer, snuggling a bit into Heero.

Heero just held Duo for as long as he stayed in his arms. Again he noticed how nice and right it was to have Duo in his arms.

Eventually, Duo slowly backed away. It wasn't something he really wanted to do, but it needed to be done.

"Thank you Heero."

Heero nodded and rose from Duo's bed. He went over and picked up the basket, the headed out of the room and down to the laundry room. He sorted out their clothes into darks and whites. He started with darks, slowly loading them into the washer, making sure to balance it out. As he was about to throw Duo's leather pants in, he noticed something odd. Parts of the back and between the legs were darker than the rest. Stopping what he was doing, Heero went upstairs to the bathroom. He shut the door then went to the sink. Turning on the cold water, he ran the pants under it.

After a few minutes he took them from under the water and wrung them out and the water was dripping red. Sighing he turned off the faucet and went back to turn on the washer.

When he came back up, he first went to the bathroom and grabbed the pants. Then he went back in by Duo.

"Duo, I think these should be dry-cleaned."

Duo glanced at Heero and saw the leather pants and felt sick again. "You can just throw those away. I *never* want to see, or wear those pants again."

Heero nodded and left briefly to throw out the soiled pants and then came back, determined to know what had happened to Duo in that alley last night.

Although now; he had a pretty good idea.

"Duo what happened last night?"

Duo shook and curled in on himself. "I don't wanna talk about it." Duo said childishly.

Heero took a deep breath and walked over to Duo's bed. Gently sitting on the edge of the bed, he laid his hand on Duo's shoulder.

"Duo, I won't think any less of you because of it."

Duo's head furiously shook from side to side. "I don't wanna..."

"Duo."

"Heero please no... I'll tell you when I'm ready ok?"

Heero sighed. "Alright."

"I'm gonna take a nap."

Heero nodded.

Duo laid down on his bed. His eyes closed and within moments after hitting the, he was asleep. Seeing Duo sleeping peacefully brought a tiny smile to Heero's usually emotionless face. With Duo sleeping soundly, Heero got up and headed to his desk.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Title: A Helping Hand 4

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: shounen ai/yaoi, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibi Mina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

This part has an explanation about what happened to Duo and it gets a little in depth.

About an hour and a half later, Duo woke up. Drowsy, he glanced around the room. He saw Heero standing with his back to him, next to his own bed. By the basket sitting on the bed, he guessed Heero was folding their clothes.

"You know I think I could help you do that..."

Heero looked over his shoulder. "Oh, you're awake."

"Yeah, Hey I can help with that."

"No Duo. You just lay there and rest." Heero told him returning to the folding. "I've got this."

"But I'm tired of staying in bed and I'm bored!" Duo whined.

"Then why don't you eat your dinner."

"Huh?" Duo blinked.

Heero nodded toward Duo's nightstand. "It's right there. I brought it up for you in case you woke up.

Duo murmured a soft, "Heero..." He very slowly lifted himself up into a sitting position. Then he carefully picked up the tray and set it on his lap; it did hurt his hands a little but he really wanted to do it himself and not have Heero do everything for him.

Duo stared at the piece of chicken and pile of rice on his plate. Then his eyes shifted to the glass of orange juice. Slowly he picked apart the chicken, eating small bits of it mixed into mouth full of rice.

"If you can't eat it all it's all right, just eat as much as you can, and when you're finished I'll change your bandages."

"Gonna give me another sponge bath too?" Duo asked a slight grin on his face.

"Probably should."

Duo blushed at the thought of Heero bathing him again. Despite himself, he felt himself becoming aroused by the thought of Heero touching him. Trying hard to stop his wandering thoughts, he moved the tray back to the nightstand and shifted to lay on his side, and hide the arousal under the folds of the blankets.

Then Heero turned, looking a bit disappointed that Duo had barely eaten anything. Sighing, he announced, "I'll be right back with some water and clean bandages."

Duo forced himself to sit up. "Hee-chan?" Heero just stopped and looked at him. "Will you... uh... help me? I... uh... need to go to the bathroom."

Heero came over to Duo's bend. Carefully he pulled back the blankets and helped Duo to his feet. Duo was glad for the long shirt he wore that hid the bulge. He just hoped Heero wouldn't notice. Also he wondered how he was going to take care of his erection with his bandaged hands.

Heero led Duo to the bathroom. Once there Duo went in alone and Heero shut the door. He hung around outside the door for a moment. Just as he was about to leave he overheard Duo talking to himself.

"What a fuckin' bad time to get a boner! Why does he have to be so damn sexy..."

Instantly, Heero knew Duo was talking about him.

"Damn... How am I gonna do this?"

Heero swallowed hard and knocked on the door. "Duo, You... Do you need any help in there?"

Duo froze with panic. Heero was right outside the door! Had he heard what he said?

"Uh... no Heero..." Duo sighed and did his best to take care of his erection. He did whatever he had too, even used his taped up hand, since he had no other choice, to stroke himself. It took a bit longer than usual before he was able to relieve himself. Still he had Heero outside the door that he was not prepared for.

Biting his lip, he went to the door and, steeling his breath, he opened it to find Heero leaning against the wall.

"You were standing out here the whole time?" Heero just nodded his head. Duo couldn't bring himself to look at Heero. "Did you ... uh... Did you hear what I said?"

Heero tried to meet Duo's gaze but the American kept avoiding eye-contact. Sighing he admitted, "Yes."

Duo's eyes widened and his face burned with embarrassment. Quickly, he headed down the hall, using the wall to steady himself. Falling on his bed, he covered his face with his hands. Right now he felt like such an ass.

Heero went into the bathroom and filled the bowl with some lukewarm water. Then he got the sponge and headed back to the bedroom.

"I leave you for a few hours and you've already managed to upset him!" the right now annoying voice, came again.

/Hn. And just where have you been all day?/

"It's easier for me to come at night Now what did you do?"

/Just tell me what his problem is./

"He had an erection. And since the thought of *you* giving him a sponge bath is what led to it, he got embarrassed."

/I offered to help him.../

Heero heard a soft snickering. "He didn't think you'd help him with that. He doesn't know you're gay."

/I don't even know if I am./

Heero peeked into the bedroom and saw Duo lying on his bed, covering his face.

"You care about him don't you?"

/Yeah.../ Heero admitted openly. /I hate seeing him upset or in pain. I just want him to be happy and not have to feel like this./

"You are falling in love with him?"

Heero didn't answer. Walking through the doorway, he approached Duo's bed. He sat down and touched Duo's arm.

"Duo..."

"Listen, Heero. I'm really sorry about what I said. I uh..."

"It's alright Duo."

"You must know I was talking about you! Please don't get mad. I just... uh..."

"Duo," Heero said sharply and Duo stopped. "It's all right. I'm not mad."

Duo forced himself to look at Heero but still couldn't bring himself to meet his gaze. "But you gotta know what... uh... and why..."

"I know Duo." Heero set the bowl down and opened his arms to Duo. "Come over here." Duo timidly moved into Heero's arms and felt them close around him. "I guessed how you felt about me when you were about to kiss me the other night."

"So you're not mad?"

"No, Duo." Heero laid his head atop Duo's softly touching his lips to the top of his head, a gesture Duo barely noticed, before resting his cheek against it.

Duo let himself relax and let out a contented sigh. He had to admit he liked this side of Heero. It was understanding and caring.

"Come on." Heero moved slightly, patting Duo on the back. "Let's change those bandages."

Duo nodded and slipped out of Heero's arms. Heero, first removed Duo's clothes and, then began peeling off the tape and with it pulling Duo's skin.

"Ow! Could ya be a little gentle?"

"I'm sorry." Heero said mutely, being more careful, he took off the rest of the bandages. Then he reached into the water for the sponge. He wrung it out and started to run it over Duo's body, being extra careful around his cuts. Gently he brushed the sponge over soft, silky skin and tenderly over sore bruises and tough wounds.

As he bathed Duo, Heero checked over the wounds again, carefully inspecting each one. This time Heero convinced Duo to let him wash his lower half as well. Nervous didn't even compare to what Duo felt when Heero began to wash his cock and his ass. He was scared and shaking, but also excited and anxious, yet jumpy. Every few touched and he fidgeted.

Heero dried Duo off then processed to replace the bandages. Once he was finished he got Duo some clean clothes and helped Duo put them on. Duo didn't resist him this time.

By the end of it all Duo was tired. Heero eased him down on his bed and covered him up.

"You need to rest."

"Heero will you do me a favor?" Duo asked breaking into a yawn.

"Hm?"

A hand came out from under the covers and Duo pointed to the laptop on Heero's desk. "Go type something... Last night it helped me fall asleep."

"You usually tell me you can't sleep with that tapping going on."

"Yeah well..." Duo laughed, "Things change."

Heero nodded and went to his desk. He just hit the keys in random patterns. There was nothing opened, he had nothing to work on so he just typed at nothing, letting the noise take it's affect on Duo. A glanced over his shoulder showed him that it was indeed luring Duo to sleep. His eyes dropped and his chest fell and rose in a slow steady rhythm.

Heero stopped staring and when he turned back to the laptop, a document was opening.

You're taking very good care of him.

Thanks. I was a bit worried after that little incident.

You must have said the right things because he still trusts you and he's not embarrassed about his feelings for you now.

Good.

Then Heero thought of something and quickly typed: Who's Solo?

For a long few minutes Heero waited for a response, but got nothing. So he typed again: Who's Solo?

This time there was an answer: Me.

Why did you want me to take care of him?

Because of a promise I made. A while before I died, we talking about what we would like in a lover, mate, life partner, whatever you want to call it and when he told me what he wanted in that person, I made a promise to myself that I would find that person he wanted. Someone who would accept and understand him and also see what a special person he is.

And you think I'm that person.

I know it.

I think you've made a mistake.

No, I haven't. You just admitted you care about him.

Yes but...

But nothing Heero, I know what I'm doing.

Heero sighed.

Was it you?

Me?

Who danced with him, I don't remember asking him. And did you climb into his bed last night?

I made you do those things, yes. Why?

I just wanted to know.

Are you upset?

Why me?

Because you do care about him even if you don't always admit it. You don't want him to be hurt. And he trusts you and he wants you to take care of him. And he wants to be with you.

Why?

He loves you.

Heero stared at the three words on the screen. Of course Solo had told him that before, but it still caught him off guard.

And, Solo continued, you love him too.

I what?

You love him. You just won't admit to it yet.

That's a lie. I can't love him...

Why, because he's a male too?

No... Because he's... he annoys me.

That's a poor excuse and you know it Heero. Now just go to bed.

Heero glared at the screen now. Furious he typed: I'm not going to wake up in his bed again am I?

No. You'll be in your own bed.

Heero quickly closed the document and then closed his laptop. Getting up he went over and checked on Duo finding himself sound asleep.

/Does he always do that?/

"Do what?"

/Hold his braid while he sleeps./

"No."

/So why is he now?/

"'Cause you braided it for him."

/Hn./

Heero stripped himself and prepared for bed. Turning off the light, he went to his bed. After turning down the covers and climbing in, he started to fall asleep one thought on his mind.

Duo loved him.

~dream sequence~

"No! Leave me alone!"

Something struck the back of his head. Duo felt himself hit the cold, hard, unyielding ground. He glanced around seeing his assailants. His shirt was cut away from his chest and the blade pierced his skin.

Duo tried to call out for help, but something large and fleshy was shoved into his mouth. He attempted to pull away but there were too many of them holding him in place. Duo continued to struggle and was hit in the side with something hard and slightly sharp. He winced but refused to cry. Biting down on the fleshy object in his mouth only caused the blade to be sunk into his side. Then when it was yanked back, he felt his blood gush out of the wound.

Grimy hands tugged and pushed off his pants. More hands ran over his hair.

"So pretty..."

"Very pretty boy." He heard some of them saying.

Duo saw one of them holding something. Duo couldn't make out what it was but he did watch, frightened, as it was moved toward his most intimate spot. He whimpered around the penis in his mouth as if proceeded to fuck him. His eyes widened as something was rammed into him.

Whatever it was; was being moved around inside him. Then Duo choked on the man's semen. The dick wasn't pulled out until he'd swallowed. Even then he only got a few seconds to breath before another erect penis was shoved into his mouth.

After several more minutes the object was withdrawn, replaced with another intruder. Duo let out a muffled scream as his insides were torn and...

~end dream~

Duo shot up in bed, panting heavily. His body was covered in a cold sweat and his heart hammered in his chest. Panic stricken, he looked around the room, searching the darkness for any kind of threat.

Not seeing any, Duo slowly exhaled, relaxing. Taking deep breaths, he calmed his pounding heart. After fighting back waves of paranoia, he climbed out of bed. He jumped a bit when his bare feet touched the cold, hardwood floor.

/Get a grip Duo, the floor is *not* out to get you.../

Sighing, a bit ashamed of himself for being afraid of the floor, he stood up and gradually crossed the room to Heero's bed. Gently he sat on the edge of it doing his best not to disturb Heero's sleep. Bringing his legs up onto the bed, curling around them he stared down at Heero. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness of the room and he saw Heero's face relaxed in sleep. Gone was, the stone _expression and stresses and tension lines of war, leaving his face peaceful. Duo smiled, his first real smile, since the incident. Endearingly, he brushed a piece of Heero's wild hair away from his face only to have it fall back when he lifted his finger.

Wrapping his arms around his knees, Duo wept. He saw innocence in Heero that he no longer felt in himself, one he knew he'd possessed only two days earlier. It had been savagely taken from him and he knew he could never get it back. So he cried, lowering his head to his arms to muffle his sobs. Sniffling and shaking he tried to calm down, but his sobs only grew louder,

Heero rolled over, moving him closer to Duo. His arm bumped against Duo's foot, causing Duo to jump and Heero to wake up. He sat up in bed blinking to see what was on his bed that would have awakened him. Hearing the muffled cries, he guessed.

"Duo?"

"Sorry... I didn't mean to wake you..."

"Why are you on my bed?" Heero asked drowsily.

"Uh..." Duo paused, unsure of what to tell Heero. Then he figured he might as well tell him the truth. It was what he always did. "I had a nightmare... It was about what happened the other night."

"You want to talk about it?"

"No... I'll just go back to bed..." Duo rose from his spot. Heero's hand reached out and grabbed a hold of his arm. Turning Duo stared at his friend.

"No," Heero told him lifting the blanket up for Duo. "Come here." Duo blinked, looking at Heero with wide eyes. "Come on Duo. We slept together last night."

"We didn't exactly sleep together. We just..."

"You know what I meant, Duo. Now come here."

Duo sank down to the bed and laid next to Heero. The other boy brought the blanket down around them. "You sure this ok, Heero? I mean last time I cuddled with you."

"And I told you it was alright, now just get some sleep."

"I don't think I can go back to sleep."

Heero gently pulled Duo closer to him, getting a surprised squeak out of the other boy. "Then just rest." Heero suggested, already dozing off again. Duo pressed closer to Heero breathing in the scent of him. He shut his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. However being close to even Heero made the dream come back and the pain increased.

/Heero won't hurt me... he won't hurt me. Heero's my hero. He saved me. He won't hurt me./

The paranoia subsided, but the pain remained and Duo gave into sleep just to escape it. But just before completely giving in he muttered a soft, "I love you."

~dream~

A prince on a black horse rode up to a band of men. They were crowded around someone. The price could hear the person screaming for help and couldn't allow whatever was happening to continue. Hopping off his horse, he confronted the men.

"What's going on here?"

One of the men turned to the prince. "Nothing your highness."

The prince looked between the bodies to see only a string of long hair.

"Let the maiden go."

"Tis no maiden, sire."

"Let her go." The prince demanded, blue eyes glaring.

Then men glanced about themselves, weighing the consequence of attacking the prince. Finally they all departed, leaving just the prince and the 'maiden'.

The prince started at the person. It was not a maiden at all, but a young lad with long, brown hair.

"Thank you, sire." The prince just continued to gawk at him. "How might I repay thee?"

"Thank nothing of it." The prince replied sharply, turning back to his horse.

"Please, allow me to show my gratitude."

"I don't think I should be accepting another man's gratitude."

"But please... I must thank thee for saving me."

"Nay."

"Yes," The boy walked over to the prince and spun him around. Not hesitating a moment, he kissed him, stunning the prince.

~end dream~

Duo's lips softly caressed the flesh of Heero's neck. The dark-haired Asian teen awoke slowly. He glanced down at Duo's form, pressed up against his own. Today though, he wasn't as willing to lie in bed all day with Duo as he had yesterday. Lightly, he shook the other boy.

"No... Leave me alone..." Duo whined in his sleep.

"Duo, wake up." Heero shook him harder.

A hand came up swinging at Heero. He grabbed it before it hit him. "Duo!"

The braided teen snapped awake. "Whydaya haveta wake me? I was havin' a good dream." Duo muttered still half asleep.

"I'd like to get out of bed *before* noon today."

"Oh," he replied with a blush. Duo moved away from Heero. Without meeting the boy's eyes Duo spoke. "Heero... I want to apologize... about last night."

"Don't. It's all right."

"It's just that..." Duo paused, looking for the right words, "I... like you... more than as just a friend..."

"I know Duo."

"I had to tell you..."

"It's alright Duo."

Duo chanced a look up at Heero. "Why are you so nice to me know? Taking such good care of me?"

"You'd have done the same for me."

Duo's cheeks flushed again. "Well yeah but... I mean... we are friends..."

Heero crawled over Duo. "Exactly Duo and friends help each other." After he'd gotten some clean clothes, Heero started to leave, but he stopped at the door and looked back at Duo. "Duo, if that happens again while your hands are still bandaged and I ask you if you need any help, tell me the truth."

Duo shot up and stared at Heero with shocked amethyst orbs. "You... You'd have helped me with *that*?"

Heero met his eyes with cool blue ones. "If you'd have said 'yes' I would have."

Duo stumbled for words. Heero had just admitted that he would have helped him with his boner! "H-Heero...? I didn't know you were gay...?"

"I'm not sure yet." Heero stepped out of the room, heading for the bathroom, while Duo fell back down on the bed, stunned by what he'd just heard.

A half an hour later, Heero came back. He'd taken slightly longer than usual because of the unexpected feelings just the thought of touching Duo had brought him. Duo was sitting on the edge of his bed when he entered. Heero glanced at him but headed for the basket.

"Heero." Duo called, rising to his feet and walking to intersect Heero. Dropping the clothes, Heero instinctively reached out to Duo in case he fell. He tried to search Duo's eyes to try and find what this was all about but nothing in the violet eyes gave away what his roommate was currently thinking.

"Would you mind terribly if I... kissed you?" Duo asked boldly. Heero knew how he felt so there was no longer any need to hide it. And because of Heero's earlier comments, Duo knew he had to try.

Heero only shook his head and Duo was slightly confused. "No you don't mind or no you don't want me to kiss you?"

"No, I don't mind." Heero said softly, surprising them both. Duo blinked and planted a tiny kiss on Heero's lips. Backing up he blushed. Smiling shyly at Heero, he sat back down on the bed. Heero tossed his clothes into the basket and left the room. Duo tried not to feel hurt but...

Duo stood up and headed out of the room and downstairs. Hugging the banister, he slowly made his way down the steps. One creaked under his weight and everyone looked up to the stairs.

"Hey guys..." Duo said shyly, forcing a smile.

"Duo..." Quatre smiled back, surprised to see his friend.

Heero glared up at the braided American. "What are you doing?" He got up and went over to the stairs and took Duo by the hand and helped guide him to the couch. After Duo was seated, Heero sat beside him.

"How are you feeling Duo?"

Duo latched on to Heero. "Better... Heero's been taking good care of me."

"Hn."

After awhile of talking with the other pilots, Duo fell asleep on Heero's shoulder. Wufei was the first one to say anything about it. "Aww, don't you two look cute?" Heero looked over to see Duo sleeping.

"He's been tired a lot..." Heero moved slowly around to stand up. Then he picked Duo up off the couch and carried him back upstairs and gently laid him down on his bed. He covered him up and bent down to softly kiss his head.

"Sleep well Duo."

~TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Title: A Helping Hand 5

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: shounen ai/yaoi, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

A few weeks later Duo was feeling better, and became more active around the house. But he wouldn't leave the house alone nor would he go anywhere that there was a lot of people. He only left for missions, and came back right away. All of his partying days were seemingly over.

Duo was in the kitchen making himself something to eat. He was almost finished when Heero came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder, causing the other boy to jump. Eyes wide, Duo spun around to face who it was and then his face relaxed when he saw Heero behind him.

"Hee-chan."

"Let's go out..." Heero said quickly.

"W-what?" Duo asked, panicking.

"Let's go out."

"Ah... this is a little ironic... you asking me to go out..."

"So you'll go?"

"No, Heero... I really don't want to go... I uh..."

"Duo," Heero interrupted softly. "You need to get back out there. It's not good for you to just hide in here all day. And I know you don't even like staying inside all the time. You need to get out again."

"But I..."

Heero smiled slightly. "I'll be with you the whole time. I promise."

Duo looked at his feet shyly. In a soft voice he agreed. "I guess I could go out for a little while. I mean if you'll be there the whole time. You won't let anything happened to me?" Duo looked up at him with huge, purple eyes.

"Of course not."

"Ok..." Duo glanced down shyly again. "I'll just go change."

"No." Heero stopped him, thinking that if he let Duo go change, the braided teen would change his mind and not go. "You look fine Duo and we won't be out for that long."

"Can I eat?" Duo asked trying to put off leaving for as long as possible.

"No... Let's just go." Heero thought, /Before I change *my* mind./

Before Duo could further object, Heero took hold of him and pulled him along as he headed for the car. Heero got Duo into it and drove away before either of them lost their nerve.

"Hee-chan. I'm hungry though."

"We'll stop and get something. Where should we go?"

"I don't care, any place that has food."

"I meant what club should we go to? I don't know where any are and I certainly don't know which one we should go to."

Duo tense when he heard the word club; but he gave Heero directions to a night club. "We can stop at Hardee's before we get there. It's on the way."

"Alright Duo."

A roast beef sandwich, curly fries, a cherry coke and a chocolate shake later, they were once again on their way to the night club. Heero kept looking over at Duo, this just wasn't the American's usual order, it was usually much larger.

"He's nervous." A cold hand lifted Heero's off the s tiring wheel and set it on Duo's.

/Don't you think you're pushing us too hard? I mean we haven't made anything official and I haven't approached him about things between us since he kissed me./

"I haven't been around lately, have I? And I didn't make you ask him out. I'm just helping you to reassure him right now that's all."

Heero sighed. The ghost, Solo, did have a point. He hadn't been around the last couple of weeks and it had been entirely Heero's idea to get Duo to go out. So maybe Solo wasn't pushing them too hard, but just guiding them.

Duo was staring at Heero's hand on his when the car came to a stop. Then Heero gave said hand a squeeze and Duo raised his eyes to meet Heero's. A light blush came to Duo's cheeks.

"W-what are we waiting for... L-let's go...: Duo stuttered.

"Alright."

Heero got out and Duo slowly climbed out of his side simultaneously. He was very tense and really didn't want to be here. And he still didn't know why Heero had asked him out.

A hand fell on his shoulder.

"Aaah!" Duo jumped slamming into the car.

"Whoa Duo... It's just me." Heero calmly said.

"Oh... Sorry Heero."

Heero slid his hand into Duo's and gave it a soft reassuring squeeze. Duo glanced up at him with a shy smile on his face. With a soft smile and a gentle tug, Heero led Duo into the club. The first thing he noticed was that all the occupants were male, and that made Duo tense even more.

Upon entering, Duo looked about for an empty table, just wanted to sit down. But Heero led him right out toward the dance floor.

"Heero?"

"One dance please?"

Duo nodded. Once again, as though on cue, as they stepped out onto the floor, the lights dimmed and softened music filled the air. Heero took Duo in his arms and swayed to it. Smiling Duo leaned into Heero and just enjoyed this moment, his shoulders dropping, as the tension in them eased.

"You're not going to get upset again are you?"

Heero shook his head. "I won't." Holding Duo close to him, he added, "I asked you out this time, I can't get mad at you. And I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"Alright."

Their conversation ceased and Heero thought about when he should make his next move. Since Duo had kissed him, they hadn't talked about it or what could happen between them. Heero had been thinking about it a lot though, and tonight he would make the next move.

The song ended.

/Now./ Heero thought, it just seemed fitting since their first kiss had almost been at the end of the last song they'd danced to, even if Solo had possessed him. Softly, he tilted up Duo's chin then he leaned down and touched their lips together.

Shocked, Duo sucked in his breath. When Heero pulled away, it rushed out and he was left speechless.

Once Duo regained himself, all he could utter was a soft, bewildered, "Heero?"

"You made the first move, now I let you know how I feel by making the second."

"So... are we dating? A couple now?"

"Whatever happens now is up to you Duo. We'll take this as slow as you need to. I don't want to rush you."

Duo nodded. "Ok. But can we sit down now?" Duo glanced around. "It's kinda crowded here." He didn't want to leave, not yet, especially not after what Heero had just done, but he was feeling a bit crowded.

"Do you want to leave?"

"No... Not yet anyway."

Duo pressed close to Heero as he guided him through the crowd and away from the dance floor. Gently he tightened his grip on Heero's hand causing the stoic pilot to smile slightly. Duo smiled as well, blushing a little. It took a few minutes for them to find a vacant table, but Heero quickly led them to the nearest one.

"So uh... how long have you been waiting to do that?"

Heero blinked. "Do what?"

"Kiss me?"

Smirking, Heero closed the gap between him and kissed Duo sweetly. "Since, you kissed me."

Duo, although smiling happily, stared at Heero puzzled. "But you never said anything and you acted like... like it hadn't happened." Duo sighed. "I don't know about you sometimes Heero." Leaning over himself this time, he kissed Heero.

Heero watched Duo out of the corner of his eye for the rest of the time they sat there. There was a smile on his face as he bopped and swung in his chair. A gentle smile grazed Heero's lips at what he saw. /He must be feeling better./

"Getting him out helped a lot. But he also liked that kiss you gave him. It let him know that you might have feelings for him. He's been waiting for you to do something like that for quite some time now."

"Hee-chan." Duo's sudden whine interrupted Heero's thoughts.

"Hn?"

"Can we go?"

"Sure Duo.

They got up and Duo clung to Heero as they walked out. He didn't let up until they were at the car.

"So where do you want to go?"

"Back home's fine."

"Alright." Heero started up the car and headed back to the safe house. Heero noticed that Duo kept scooting closer to him. He put his arm around the other boy and drew him closer once Duo was close enough. A bright smile was on Duo's face as he rested his head on Heero's shoulder.

"Thanks Hee-chan. I really did need to get out." Duo's smile grew. "And I'm really glad about us. I've wanted this for so long. That's why I asked you out that night. And when you said yes it was like that was my chance and then..."

"And now you've got what you wanted." Heero cut in.

Duo nodded smiling. He was certainly glad Heero had stopped him from what he'd been about to say.

They pulled into the driveway and Heero shut off the engine. Duo groaned and as Heero climbed out of the car. He then scrambled over the driver's seat and out the door. Timidly, he took Heero's hand as they went inside. He wouldn't let go, not even when they were inside.

"You two are back early." Quatre started when they walked in.

"Yeah well..." Duo shrugged.

That's when Quatre noticed Duo's hand loosely in Heero's. Gently, he elbowed Trowa, who was dozing lightly beside him, and nodded at the two coming in. Trowa jerked awake and saw their hands. He said and did nothing, just laid his head on Quatre's shoulder and went back to dozing.

"Well... we'll see you guys in the morning." Duo told them before dragging Heero upstairs. Once in their room, Duo shut the door then went over to the stereo. After a moment, music filled the room, a soft love song playing.

"Can we dance again Heero, without the crowd?"

Heero smirked nodding. "Sure. I didn't like the crowd either. Just the two of us is so much nicer."

Duo crossed the room and Heero caught him in his arms. The soft music filled the air of their room and Heero spun Duo about the room. As the song played Heero noted the words.

"This is an old song."

Duo shrugged casually. "I like it... It fits how I feel about you."

Heero listened carefully to the words of the song. They were about not hiding feelings anymore, about said feeling going beyond friendship and letting them be known. "You feel that way about me?"

"Mmhmm."

Duo laid his head on Heero's shoulder and let his eyes drift shut. Being like, this in Heero's arms made him want to express his love to the Japanese pilot, however he held back. He wanted to, more than ever before he wanted to, but he was still scared and right now, it still didn't seem like the right time.

"You're the first friend my own age that I've had in a long time and..." Duo blushed. "Do to recent events I guess you can tell that that feeling's grown stronger."

Duo very lightly nuzzled Heero's neck. He could feel the heat spreading over his cheeks. Silently he reminded himself that he would have to tell Heero someday. Now he could tell him without fearing that Heero would hate him for it.

When he was there in Heero's arms, he just felt so safe and warm. But just being around Heero had always made him feel that same way.

With Heero he had something, someone, to give his life a purpose, a direction. Everything seemed so much better when he was with Heero.

Heero closed his eyes and pulled Duo tighter against him. Duo smiled softly to himself. This was better than any dream he'd ever had of this moment happening. It had to be real; it just had to be, because if this was just some cruel dream, he never wanted to wake up.

No matter what had happened to him, Duo had found strength in Heero. With the horrible incident that had happened to him, it had been his trust in Heero that had kept him going. And now his dream of being with Heero, being more than just friends seemed more and more possible. Even if it had taken something so terrible to get it to this point, Duo was nevertheless very happy about it.

Duo sang with the song, his head still resting on Heero's shoulder. "If I'd have known things would have turned out like this, I would have kissed you a lot sooner."

"Hm." Heero turned his head slightly to press a kiss to Duo's forehead.

Heero had to admit now, at least to himself, that he had deep feelings for Duo. What those feelings were he wasn't quite sure yet but he acknowledged that they existed. With said teen in his arms he couldn't remember why he hadn't let them show a bit more, earlier.

Well now it was time to change all that.

Duo let out a soft laugh startling Heero.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothin'. It's really not that funny at all." Duo admitted shyly. "It's actually really stupid."

"'Baby I can't fight this feeling anymore.' (1) " They both sang and Duo glanced up at Heero startled.

"Hee-chan, Do-do you have feelings for me too?"

"I..."

"Now's the time to tell him."

/Tell him what Solo?/

"That you love him."

/What!/

"Tell him."

"I care about you Duo and..."

"And!" Solo shouted at Heero.

"And?" Duo asked quietly.

"And I'm going to try and let how I feel about you show a little more."

Duo smiled, satisfied with the answer. Though Heero could have sworn he heard Solo curse something that wasn't very appropriate for someone the age Solo had been when he died.

Duo laid his head on Heero's shoulder again and thought back on the past few months since he'd met Heero. Duo had been going crazy trying to think of ways to get Heero's attention. His life hadn't been the same since he'd met Heero.

There was quite a few times where it had seemed like he was following the Japanese pilot. Most of it had been because of the missions they did. Though at times it was almost like Relena, but Heero at least never seemed to mind him being around too much. Every time he'd gone anywhere with Heero, he'd seen things that had he been alone he knew he would have missed.

Duo closed his eyes, feeling himself start to fall asleep. He tried not to, but to no avail. Heero noticed how sluggish and heavy Duo's movements became.

"Duo, maybe we should go to bed."

"Nah ah... After the song." Duo yawned.

Heero held Duo close as they danced, Duo falling asleep in his arms. He'd never thought something like this would happen between him and Duo. Just the same he was glad that it was. Taking care of Duo all this time, had given him something else to think about instead of just missions and the war. Duo was making him see that there was more to life than just fighting and he thought he might just have another purpose in life other than just fighting.

Heero carefully lifted Duo up into his arms, causing Duo to let out a soft moan. He stirred a little but didn't wake up. Gently Heero laid him down in his bed then he crawled in beside him.

"When are you going to admit that you love him?"

/When I feel we're both ready to hear it./

~TBC~

(1) Yes the song they were listening to was in fact, 'Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore' By REO Speedwagon. Sorry if this chapter was a little weird, the original plans were for it to be a type of songfic... but I wasn't sure how that would work in a multi-part. So yeah...


	6. Chapter 6

Title: A Helping Hand 6

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: shounen ai/yaoi, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Duo tossed and turned in his sleep. His arms swung out hitting Heero across the chest. A weak voice choked out, "Stop! No..." Soft whimpering escaped from his lips.

Heero awoke when an elbow flew into his gut. Shaking it off, he tightened his arm slightly around Duo, hoping to help calm him. Then the other teen screamed and broke away. Heero became fully awoke, sitting up in the bed. While watching Duo, he tried to figure out what was wrong.

"Duo?" calling out to him, Heero touched Duo's shoulder.

"No! Stay away from me!" Duo rolled closer to the wall, huddling against it. "Just leave me alone!"

"Duo..."

"He's having a nightmare about that night at the club." Solo told him calmly.

/He's still having those?/ Hearing Duo start to cry, Heero reached out for him again. /What should I do?/

"Well, you could wake him or talk to him. Just try to calm him down. Let him know who you are and that you're not going to hurt him."

Since Duo wouldn't let him touch him, Heero ruled out trying to wake him. "Duo" Duo curled himself into a fetal position and let out a soft, pathetic sound.

"Duo it's me. Heero"

"He... ero..."

"That's right. Heero, I helped you that night. I'm your hero."

"My hero..."

"I won't hurt you Duo. I care about you."

"My hero... My Heero..." Slowly Duo crept away from the wall and closer to Heero.

"It's ok Duo. I won't hurt you."

Duo pressed close to Heero. He settled back into a dreamless sleep.

/Is he ready to talk about that happened that night?/

"He's been ready."

/Then tomorrow, I'll ask him./

"Just be gentle and don't push him too hard to answer you, but don't be too lenient either."

/Alright./

Heero closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. He kept his arms firmly around Duo. Yet even though he was asleep, he got no rest that night.

The next morning Duo awoke, surprised to find Heero still asleep beside him. It was a welcome surprise though. Smiling sweetly Duo pressed as close to Heero's side as he could and tucked his head under Heero's chin. He just lay there, breathing deep the scent of his boyfriend.

After a few long minutes, Duo nudged Heero. When the Japanese boy didn't respond, Duo shifted to look at him.

"Heero?" A gentle shake, then another, "Heero!"

Blue eyes snapped open, then drooped shut again. Heero turned into Duo's body. Duo tried to wake Heero again. He gave him a harsh shove into the wall. "Heero! Wake up!"

Heero jerked awake, mumbling. " Wha..?"

"Daijoobu desuka"

"Hmmmn..."

"Heero, are you alright?"

"Fine... Naze"

"What?"

"Why?"

"Cause you're still in bed, asleep, and it's after eleven."

"Huh...?" Heero glanced up to look at the clock. "Oh... I didn't sleep very well last night."

"Daijoobu desuka?"

"Yea..." Heero closed his eyes. "You just had a few nightmares last night and I..."

"You were up all night calming me down." Duo finished for him. His eyes lowered, ashamed. "I'm sorry Heero. Maybe I should just sleep in my own bed from now on."

"No, cause then I'll have to walk across the room if it happens again."

Duo smiled at him. "Still, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Heero sat up slowly and climbed out of bed. He leaned across it and softly kissed Duo. "It's okay."

"If ya say so." Heero nodded solemnly and Duo watched as Heero went to his dresser. "You gonna take a shower?"

"Yeah." With that Heero headed out of the room and toward the bathroom.

Sighing, Duo decided he'd take his own shower later that night. He went to his closet and fished through his wardrobe for something to wear. Once he was satisfied with his outfit, a pair of black jeans and a dark blue button down shirt that he didn't bother to tuck in. By the time he was dressed, Heero was out of the shower and had come back in to the room and was in front of his laptop.

"Hey Hee-chan," Duo started coming up behind his chair and wrapped his arms about Heero's shoulders. "I'm gonna go make me something to eat, you want anything?"

"No thanks Duo."

"Suit yourself." Duo kissed Heero's cheek. "Just remember you gotta eat." Spinning around, Duo skipped out of the room.

Heero shook his head while he began his work. /He's sure happy today./ Half of him expected Solo to respond with a reason for why Duo was so happy, but none came. And then he remember that Solo mostly came around at night, which he was glad for, having to deal with Duo and a ghost with Duo's best interests in mind was a little more than he could handle some days.

Downstairs, Duo was busy in the kitchen making sandwiches. One was loaded with everything fattening that Duo could find, while the others ingredients were chosen carefully.

Quatre walked in, finding him in the process of making them. "Hey Duo, what are you doing?"

"Just making sandwiches for me and Heero"

"Ah... for Heero? Did he ask you to do that?"

"He told me not to."

"Duo..."

"I know, I know. No peanut butter, no marshmallows or marshmallow cream, no cereal, no chocolate, yadda, yadda, yadda, on his. I know."

Quatre laughed. "Guess so." Taking a seat on one of the bar stools at the opposite side of the counter where Duo was 'working'. It was more like making a mess, but no matter. "So how are things between you and Heero?"

Duo just gave a little shrug. "They're alright."

"Just alright? Duo this is what you always said you wanted. *He's* what you said you wanted!"

"Yeah, I know. But since that night he brought me home all beat up, I just can't... We've decided to take things slow. Heero wants me to be sure I'm ready..."

"Duo, what exactly happened that night?"

"All done!" Duo exclaimed, grabbing a bottle a water and a coke from the fridge. Finding the tray Heero had used to bring his meals to him, he loaded it up with both sandwiches and beverages and headed upstairs.

"Duo!" Quatre followed after him. "You didn't answer my question."

"Later Kat!"

"Later..." Quatre sighed. Something told him that later did not mean later that night.

Duo set the tray down on his bed and picked up the healthier looking sandwich and the water. He took them over to Heero and put it down next to Heero's laptop.

"I told you I didn't want anything."

"And I told you, you have to eat. I know how you get when you're on this thing, you forget to eat."

"Hn" Heero stopped a moment to inspect the sandwich.

"There's nothing fattening on there. And the breads buttered; no mayo."

"There a tomato on here."

"I thought you liked tomatoes?"

Heero let out a small laugh. "I do."

Duo punched him in the shoulder. "Heero, you know we're not getting married." He teased.

"Baka"

"Yeah, I know." Duo went back to his bed and picked up the tray and headed out of the room and back downstairs.

"Where are you going?"

"Back downstairs, thought I'd be considerate and give you some quiet time alone."

Heero shook his head. /Sometimes I don't know about him.../

"What do you mean?"

/Well he brought his sandwich and mine up here, then took his back downstairs./

"He just thought he'd be nice and leave you alone for a bit. He kinda feels like a bother to you because he's always around."

/He was always around before... but now he's my boyfriend and it's different. He's not a bother though. I mean I... I... you know./

"If you can't even think it, how are you ever going to tell him?"

/I don't know... I... I... I care about him... a lot.../

"Yeah, I know that."

Downstairs Duo was sitting with Quatre at the kitchen table. While Duo was shoving his monster of a sandwich, which crunched in his mouth and bits of cereal fell on the plate, into his mouth, Quatre tried not to ask him the questions that had been plaguing him over the last couple of months.

'So Duo, things with you are Heero?" How did they start?"

Duo, a mouthful of his sandwich in his mouth, waved a finger to indicate for Quatre to wait. After finally managing to swallow it, he said, "Well a while back I kissed him, that day I came sneaking down the stairs. That started it."

"But that was weeks ago?"

"Yeah well, last night Heero asked me out and we went to a club, then he kissed me."

"So it's only been since last night then?"

"No. Last night we made it official. We've been sleeping together and..."

"You're sleeping together!"

"Not sleeping, sleeping together! Just sleeping, get your mind out of the gutter Kat! We just sleep in the same bed, have been for awhile, and we cuddle."

"Heero cuddles?"

"Yeah" Duo nearly giggled.

"Wow. Sounds like things are going great for the two of you." The big grin on Duo's face made it difficult for Quatre to ask his next question. "Duo, are you ready to talk about that night when Heero brought you home from the club?"

Duo knew exactly what Quatre was talking about. Still he didn't feel quite ready to talk about it, especially not with Quatre. Duo pushed his plate away, three-fourths of his sandwich still sitting there. "I lost my appetite." Shoving his chair back he stood up and left the kitchen.

"Duo?" Quatre got up to follow him as he ascended the steps.

Duo whirled around, glaring at his friend. "Listen Quatre, I'll tell you *after* I tell Heero. Not before."

"After... great... Ok..."

Duo hurried up the stairs, but forced himself to stop from bursting right into the room, he stood outside the door. Lightly he knocked on it, though it was slightly ajar. "Hee-chan, is it ok if I come in?"

"Duo, this is your room too."

"Yeah well, I don't wanna disturb you if you're still working."

"Get in here Duo."

Duo entered the room, going straight to his bed and flopping down on it. He stared at Heero's back. A laugh escaped him when he realized that he wasn't thinking the same kind of thoughts about the Japanese pilot that he use to. Normally, he'd be scheming to get Heero to notice him or having sexual fantasies about him.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Nothin', just thinking about, what I'm not thinking about." Duo caught the puzzled look his boyfriend threw at him over his shoulder. "Don't ask."

Shaking his head, Heero pushed his chair away from the desk. "Come here." He told Duo, patting his lap.

Duo jumped up and went and sat on Heero's lap. Arm snaked around his waist and he laid his head on Heero's shoulder. Right now, in Heero's arms, he felt like nothing could hurt him. Heero kissed his cheek and he snuggled closer. "I always dreamed of moments like this with you."

"Duo what happened that night I found you in the alley?"

"Not you too" Screaming, Duo tried to wiggle away from Heero. "I thought we were gonna have a warm, cuddly, cozy couple moment. I don't want to talk about that!"

Heero held Duo in place with an iron-clad hold. "We're going to talk about it."

"Heero, I don't want to!" Duo fought against Heero, but to no avail. Tears started running down his face. "Heero, please don't make me." Duo shook and cried in Heero's arms.

"Duo, it's alright. You're ok. Nothing's going to hurt you now."

"No... No...!" Shaking his head, Duo clutched Heero's shirt and buried his face in his boyfriend's shoulder.

/Solo?/ Heero called out timidly. /What should I do?/

"Just keep doing what you're doing. He'll come around." Then Solo spoke to Duo. "Why don't you tell him?"

/Solo... I-I can't... I'm afraid that if I do... he won't want me anymore.../

"Duo, have a bit more faith in the guy you love."

Heero spoke softly as though to a child. "Duo, whatever happened, it's over. And I'm right here for you." Duo sniffed and showed his face to Heero. "Duo, why won't you talk to me?" Heero hugged Duo to him and kissed his forehead.

"I'm scared..."

"Duo whatever happened, it won't change what's happening between us." Heero continued to speak softly and calmly. "I just want to know so I don't do anything to upset or hurt you?"

"Heero..."

"I'm here. Just go slow and I'll hold you the whole time. Start whenever you're ready."

Duo shook just thinking about it, but he knew it'd be useless to try and free himself from Heero's arms. So he had no choice but to tell his boyfriend. For a minute he sat still and silent in Heero's arms, feeling protected and safe.

"You'll hold me the whole time?"

"I won't let go until you tell me to."

Duo flashed a small smile. "I get to tell you what to do?"

"Hn... yeah."

"Kiss me? " Duo looked up into Heero's eyes, his own violet orbs wide with innocence and shining with tears. Heero nodded and tilted his head to gently touch his lips to Duo's. The kiss was light and brief but it gave Duo the confidence to tell Heero.

/Hopefully this isn't my last kiss with Heero. But I've got to tell him./

Heero pulled back slowly. "Whenever, you're ready. I won't let you go..." Heero paused trying to determine if he should say what he was going to say. Then he looked in Duo's eyes and knew he had to say it. "Koibito."

"Huh?" Duo's eyes grew wide. "You called me... Doesn't that mean... lover?" Heero only nodded. "I'm your lover?"

"Unless you; don't want to be."

"No it's not that. I just thought we were only boyfriends..."

"Well, koi can mean lover, but it also has the meanings of boyfriend or girlfriend. Does it bother you?"

"No. I-I like it." /Maybe things'll be alright with us.../ "Well, I went outside to get some fresh air after you yelled at me. A couple of guys had followed me out and..." Duo took a deep breath before continuing. "I fought them off but more came out of the club and I couldn't hold them all off. One grabbed my braid then held my arms back. The rest got out their knives, picked up shards of glass, crowbars, anything they could find lying around..." A sob escaped him and he felt as though his wounds would re-open just by speaking about that awful night.

Heero held him tighter. "It's ok, Duo. It's ok. "

"They hit me with anything they could find. Then the guy let me go. I staggered a bit, tried to keep fighting back, that's how I got these." Duo lifted his hands and could still see where they were healing. "Then something hit the back of my head. Things get a bit fuzzy after that. All I remember is something in my mouth and..." Duo broke into uncontrollable tears. "Then they switched and a dick was... They just wouldn't stop... I don't remember anything else, I must have passed out by then, but I can guess..."

Heero could guess too. "Duo..."

"Still want me as your lover?"

"Of course I do." Heero continued to hug him. "Now, just rest, cry if you need to. I'll hold you."

Giving in to the comfort that Heero's body offered, tears streamed freely down Duo's cheeks. He felt calm, relaxed and hoped that Heero would be there whenever he was upset again. Duo laid his head on Heero's shoulder, just to let himself rest, but his crying had worn him out and within minutes he was asleep.

Heero didn't move for an hour, he continued to hold Duo, keeping his promise to the other boy. But after that hour, his legs were starting to fall asleep, and his arm already was. Gently he tried to wake Duo up by nudging him and kissing him. He didn't want to hit him or drop him, like he use to do to the American to get him out of bed before they became boyfriends, because Duo's wounds were still healing and he didn't think it would be a good move in general.

Duo whined at his attempts and clung tighter to Heero, never waking.

Heero sighed and carefully rose, doing his best not to drop Duo. Then he managed, with much difficulty since his arm was asleep, to carry Duo over to his bed and laid him down. After squeezing his arms out from under Duo, he pried Duo's hands from him and softly kissed Duo's forehead.

Heero ran out of the room, and practically flew down the stairs. As he headed out the door, he yelled back. "Quatre, if Duo wakes up before I come back, tell him I went to the store and I'll be right back!"

"Ah... alright..." Quatre stammered. He tightened his arms around Trowa, as the tall boy laid against him, looking a bit worn out.

No more than five minutes later, Duo came downstairs, looking bewildered and red-eyed. "Hey guys. Where's Heero?"

"He went to the store, and he said he'd be right back." That's when Quatre turned to his friend and saw the tears that still stained Duo's face. "You ok?"

"Yeah fine" Duo forced a smile. "What have you two been doing?"

"Nothing much" Quatre winked.

Trowa laughed. "Nothing that you haven't been wanting to do with Heero"

"Hey! Mine and Heero's sex life... ha! Sex life... we don't have a sex life..."

"I'm sorry Duo." Trowa said sympathetically.

Duo shook his head, disregarding the apology. "Kat, when you've got some time I... I need to talk to you ."

"I can right now if..."

"No." Duo interrupted sharply. "Like tomorrow or the day after that, k?"

"Sure Duo, tomorrow's fine."

"Thanks. Now I'll just leave the two of you alone." Duo turned around and headed back upstairs. He couldn't help feeling a little hurt and betrayed. Heero'd said that he was going to hold him until he told him to let go. But Duo decided to let it slide, he was sure Heero had a good reason for leaving.

So back in their room, he curled back up on Heero's bed, hugging Heero's pillow as though it were his boyfriend.

~TBC~

Thanks to Chibimina for correcting my Japanese. *glomps CM* I love you Minamommy!


	7. Chapter 7

Title: A Helping Hand 7

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero stopped just outside the front door. Then he just dropped down on the stairs and sat there for a while. He took a few moments to think about Duo what had happened to him and what was happening between them.

Sighing heavily, he pushed himself up then went inside and got quite an eyeful!

"Uh... guys! That's for the bedroom!"

The only answers he got were several incomprehensible moans. Closing his eyes, Heero carefully, made his way to the kitchen to put away the surprise he'd gotten for Duo. Then with his hand over his eyes, he stumbled back out into the living room, knocking over a small table as he searched for the stairs. Cursing he leaned over and picked up the table. Once he'd found the stairs, he tripped up them and up into his and Duo's room.

It only took a second for him to find Duo, curled around a pillow. The Japanese boy walked over to the bed and dropped to his knees beside it. His hand softly touched Duo's cheek, but the other boy shrank away.

"Duo..."

"You said, 'I won't let go until you tell me to.' And I didn't tell you to!"

"I'm s-sorry Duo... I just went out to get you something."

Eyelashes lifted for Heero to see bright purple eyes. "You got me something?"

"Yeah, I did; but I don't know it you want to go downstairs to get it. Quatre and Trowa were in the middle of something when I came in."

Duo jumped up and grabbed Heero's hand. "I don't care. I wanna know what you got me!" He dragged Heero down the stairs, jerking to a stop at the last step as he saw Quatre and Trowa climax together. Duo let out a small sigh in seeing that. Then the two of them kissed softly and whispered in each other's ears. Duo, guess it was something along the lines of 'I love you', and other such sappy pillow talk.

A part of Duo resented them because they had something he didn't. The other part of him applauded and adored them, they were happy together and it gave him hope that someday he'd have what they had.

Heero's arm wrapped around Duo, startling him, "Something wrong?"

Duo shook his head, "N-no..."

Heero moved around Duo and headed to the kitchen. Remembering his surprise, Duo quickly followed him.

"So what'cha get me?" Duo grinned, sitting on a barstool at the counter.

"Close your eyes." Duo did as instructed. Heero went to the refrigerator and opened the freezer half, took out four buckets of ice cream. Turning and shutting the freezer with his foot, he went back to the counter and set them out in front of Duo. "Okay. Open them."

Duo opened his eyes to see Heero opening the first bucket. "Whoa! You got me four buckets of ice cream!"

"Yeah," Heero sighed shyly, "I didn't know which you'd like better."

"Fudge Swirl, Chocolate, Rocky Road, And Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough." Duo smiled up at Heero. "These are good. Cookies 'n' Cream, Mint, Lady Bug, Elephant Tracks, Blue Moon, anything would have been good."

"I'm glad." Heero went over to one of the cabinets bring down a bowl out for Duo. While he went to get a spoon from the silverware drawer, Duo thought about when he'd been feeling when he'd watched Quatre and Trowa.

/Maybe I don't have what they have.../ He watched Heero with a smile, a genuine smile, on his face. /But what I do have looks pretty, good.../ His eyes ran over Heero's body. /And it has the potential to be even better./

Heero caught Duo's eyes on him and he felt a bit... strange. "What are you looking at?"

"You," Duo replied honestly.

Heero glanced himself over. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Duo laughed, shaking his head. "No, nothing's wrong. You're just..." Duo met Heero's gaze as he thought of the right word to use. As he stared into dark blue eyes, he found a softness in them he hadn't noticed before. "Perfect."

"I'm not perfect Duo." When Duo didn't respond, Heero returned his attention to the ice cream. So, what do you want?"

Duo's eyes let up as he looked over the buckets while Heero opened them. As he watched him, Heero caught a glimpse of what he could imagine Duo like as a child. A huge, bright violet eyed child with hair down his back, in a candy store trying to figure out what to pick.

"I can have anythin I want?" Duo asked innocently.

"Yes."

"'K! Then I want two scoops of each!"

"Two of each, uh?" Duo nodded vigorously. Heero began dishing out the ice cream; Duo looked at the single bowl and frowned.

"Where's your bowl Hee-chan?"

"I don't want any."

"But Heero!"

"I don't want any."

"Ok fine. Then make it three scoops of each."

"Three?"

"Yep, I have to eat some for you too!" Duo giggled.

Heero chuckled softly and kept spooning out the ice cream, piling it into Duo's bowl. Duo watched him, a big smile on his face. He picked up the spoon and dipped it in then took a bite.

"Mmm... thank you Heero."

"Well I just thought you could use a treat."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Duo took another spoonful and raised it to his lips. "You gotta have some Heero." His lips closed around the spoon, and then he pulled it out only to dip it into the frozen dessert again. This time he got a bit of plain chocolate on it. "At least have the chocolate."

"I don't want any. It's for you." Heero declined, pushing it away. He moved closer to Duo. "I want this." Softly he planted kisses on Duo's lips, kisses Duo happily returned. Then Heero's mouth opened and he began to slip his tongue into Duo's mouth.

Duo withdrew quickly, shaking.

"Oh Duo... I..."

"It's alright."

"No, it's not. I promised I wouldn't push you. That I'd let you decide when we moved on."

"Heero, it's ok... I want to... I really do." Heero slipped his arm around Duo's waist. "Just... I'm just not ready."

"Let me try that ice cream." Heero wanted to change the subject. Now he felt like an ass for pushing Duo further than he was ready to go. He should have known better. He didn't want to make Duo uncomfortable.

Duo just smiled at him and moved the spoon to Heero's mouth. Heero closed it around the spoon, letting the cold touch his tongue. Duo laughed, "Now the fudge swirl." He fed Heero the next flavor. "Next chocolate chip cookie dough." He made sure to get a bit of cookie dough on the spoon and gave it to Heero. "Lastly… Rocky Road." Heero opened his mouth on more time for Duo.

"Maybe I'll just share yours."

"K!" Duo smirked.

Heero covered the four buckets and put them back in the freezer. Then he got a spoon and went to sit next to Duo. Smiling Duo slid the bowl over between the two of them. They split the ice cream between them. Duo giggled as they took turned feeding each other. As they nearly emptied the bowl, Duo took a bit of each flavor and raised the spoon to Heero. "Try this."

Heero opened his mouth and tasted all four of them together. "Hmm... very good."

Quatre peeked in on the two and smiled at what he saw. "Good for you guys..." He whispered softly, and then followed Trowa up the stairs.

Duo finished the rest of it. "Thanks Heero. I really needed that."

"You're welcome."

They headed back upstairs after setting the bowl in the sink. Entering their room, Heero went right to his laptop while Duo went to his dresser to pull out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt.

"Heero; I'm gonna take a shower."

"Want any help?" Heero asked curiously just because he was still worried about Duo's healing hands.

"No thanks. I think I can manage by myself."

"Alright, just call if you need me."

Duo nodded as he left the room. "Will do, Heero."

For the first hour, Heero checked on the news he'd missed while listening to Duo. Then he checked in with Dr. J, seeing if he had any orders yet.

While doing this, a new document opened.

Did he tell you?

I wish you wouldn't possess my laptop like that.

Heero typed back angrily.

So did he?

Yes.

How's he doing?

Why don't you go ask him!

Why are you so angry? You know what was going to happen to him! You knew that he was going to be, raped that night!

Why do you think I told you to take care of him!

Maybe you shouldn't have made me dance with him! Then he wouldn't have ran outside!

Then the two of you won't be boyfriends and Duo would still be driving you crazy with his constant nagging instead of being considerate of your need to be alone.

Heero didn't reply for a long time. Just sat there, staring at the screen.

You knew all this was going to happen?

Not exactly, I know what happened and I know it would have been worse if you hadn't gone with him.

Worse?

Heero suddenly felt worried. He swallowed hard before he continued.

You mean he would have died?

It didn't happen; like that so don't worry about it.

However, it could have...

It didn't, so calm down... You care about him?

Yes! You know that. He's my friend, the only one I've ever had, and the only person I've ever considered a friend. Yeah he bugs me but... Now he's my boyfriend! Of course, I care about him!

Would you miss him if he did die?

Yes...

Heero sank back in his chair and thought about just how much he would miss Duo. It would have never occurred to him before now, but he would miss a lot about his loudmouth, braided, American boyfriend.

"Hey Hee-chan!" screamed someone in his ear and arms wrapped around his shoulders. Heero jumped, completely caught off guard. "Whoa... Heero, you ok?"

Heero looked up to see Duo smiling down at him. "Yeah, fine."

"I thought you heard me come in."

"No, I didn't."

"Wow. I actually snuck up on you." Duo rested his chin on Heero's shoulder. "So what'cha working on?"

"Oh... uh..." Heero panicked and quickly glanced at the screen. Luckily, the document had closed itself and Heero's previous work was up. "The usual."

"Same old, Heero," Duo kissed his cheek. "Can you break away long enough to braid my hair before I go to bed?"

"Sure Duo." Heero pushed away from the desk. He got up and went to get Duo's brush while Duo went and sat on his bed. Heero joined him a minute later and began brushing out the long brown tresses.

"It's been so long since I've trusted anyone besides myself to take care of my hair."

"Oh?" Heero asked plainly trying to act as though he didn't know. "Who was the last person?"

Duo hesitated a bit in his answer. "Well besides you, the only other person that ever brushed and braided my hair was..." Duo paused, a long heart-wrenching pause. "Sister Helen..." A single tear rolled down Duo's face at the mention of the nun.

"Hn." Heero noticed Duo's hesitation and pain at the thought of the nun and didn't press it any further but then Duo continued on his own.

"When I was little I lived in Maxwell Church on L2. Father Maxwell and her took really, good care of me... Then they were... And I couldn't save them... I was too late..."

"Oh Duo," Heero breathed apologetically. He petted Duo's hair. "How old were you?"

"Eight... I stole a MS to save them but I was too late... Father Maxwell was already dead, when I got there... and Sister Helen... she... I... she died in my arms."

"Duo, you were eight. You can't blame yourself."

Duo didn't reply.

"That why you took the last name Maxwell?"

"Well I was an orphan, never knew my parents... They were the closest thing I ever had to a mom and dad... so yeah... It just seemed right." Duo grinned wistfully. "I don't believe Heero Yuy's your *real* name."

"It's a code name. I don't know my name. I was just called..." Heero stopped, not able to recall being, given any other name other than Heero Yuy. "I don't know... I can't remember."

Duo turned around to face Heero and saw the first glimpse of sadness in his deep blue eyes. "Hey. It's in the past, it doesn't matter now." He hugged Heero tightly. "You are Heero Yuy. My Heero."

Heero returned Duo's embrace and buried his face in Duo's neck, hiding in his half-braided hair. "You're right... you're right..."

"How about the day after tomorrow, if nothing comes up, we just spend the whole day together?"

"Why, not tomorrow?"

"Cause I need to talk to Quat. After you he's my closest friend and I've kinda left him in the dark for awhile on what happened; now that I've told you... I think I can tell him... at least I hope I can..."

"If nothing comes up, we can."

"Thanks Hee-chan."

A few hours, later they went to bed. Duo clung to Heero, now that Heero knew; he hoped his nightmares would subside. Heero held Duo close, hoping that Duo would be alright.

That night though, Duo did have another nightmare, but Heero was awake, waiting for it and was able to, quickly calm him, back down this time and Duo was, left to dream a bit more pleasantly.

~dream sequence~

The prince got off his horse and approached the long-haired man he'd rescued a few days before, with great caution. Said man was sitting alone beside the river bend. "Sir?" He called out wryly.

The man turned and smiled at the prince. "Your Highness." He greeted him with a low bow.

The prince walked over and kissed the young man, shocking him.

~end dream~

Duo snuggled closer to Heero as he slept. Heero, awakened by the movement of his lover, instinctively tightened his grip on him, and then glanced down. He hadn't expected the peacefully look on Duo's face but was none-the-less glad it was there. Heero gently kissed Duo's forehead, then went back to sleep.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Title: A Helping Hand 8

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

The next morning, Heero got up early, hearing the loud beeping of his laptop. He knew without even looking at it that he had a new mission. Leaving Duo a note and kissing his cheek before going, he headed off first, waking up Trowa to back him up, hoping all the while that he'd be back in time to spend the next day alone with Duo.

Besides he didn't want to leave Duo alone for too long.

Duo woke up a few hours later, searching the empty side of the bed, not finding the warmth of Heero's body, just his vacant pillow. Blinking his eyes open, he glanced around the room, but found no sign of his Japanese boyfriend.

Just as the first wave of panic was beginning to settle over him, he saw the note on Heero's pillow, written in Heero's sloppy handwriting. Duo shook his head at seeing it. Heero could make all those difficult Japanese characters so beautifully but when it came to writing English letters he needed work.

"Well, so he's not completely perfect." Duo smiled, reading over the note that explained where Heero had gone.

Feeling himself relax again, he pulled himself out of bed and went and knocked on Quatre and Trowa's door.

"Kat?"

"Come in Duo. It's safe, Trowa's not here. I think he left with Heero this morning."

Duo opened the door and found Quatre sitting on his bed with what appeared to be Trowa's shirt on since it was too big for his tiny body. Duo couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the sight.

"Oh shhh!" Quatre replied back, smiling himself. He knew he looked ridiculous in Trowa's shirt, but it was the first shirt he'd found when he woke up.

Duo smirked, "So can we have that talk now?"

"Sure." Quatre patted the spot next to him on the bed.

Duo laid down on his side, propping himself up on his elbow. He took a deep breath and stared up at Quatre.

"Well, let's see... that night Heero finally agreed to go out with him. I'm not sure as to why, but he did. And so we went to this club I'd heard about. After I danced by myself for bit, I went back by Heero and asked him to dance with me..." Duo paused trying to recall what had happened. "I made a comment about wishing I had a date and then... Heero started acting weird."

"Weird how?"

"I dunno. But it was like he was a completely different person. He suddenly wanted to dance with me. He pulled me on to the floor and we started dancing." A soft smile came to Duo's face as he reminisced. "We were about to kiss when he started acting like himself again. He got pissed and said he hadn't asked me to dance. Then I got really upset and ran out the back door and well, a bunch of guys followed me and... In the short run... I was..." Duo looked away and closed his eyes tightly. "I was gang raped."

Quatre gasped, frightened. "Oh my... Duo..."

"Heero somehow, thankfully, found me out there and brought me home." Duo looked back up at Quatre. "Sorry about how I acted that night. I know you were just trying to help me... but I... I dunno. I just didn't want anyone to see me like that... But since Heero had found me, I only wanted him to take care of me."

Quatre nodded, and then proceeded to scowl Duo. "You should have gone to the hospital."

"Nah... Heero took really good care of me." Duo smiled.

"Yes I know but still..." Quatre sighed. "He has become a lot more patient with you. I think he even smiles now when you're around."

Duo smirked and flipped his hair back over his shoulder. "Well can you blame him? I mean I am such a lovable and irresistible guy."

Quatre laughed. "So how are you and Heero?"

"Great I guess. I can't complain." Duo shrugged. "Even though, I won't let him kiss me."

"What?" blinked Quatre.

"Well we kiss but we don't *kiss*. Quatre still looked a bit confused so Duo sat up and leaned over. "We kiss," he planted a soft peck on Quatre's lips. "But nothing more."

"Why not? Doesn't he want to?"

"No he does. And honestly I do too..." Duo sighed heavily, "But I'm scared. I mean that night I had so many dicks shoved in my mouth and... I really don't want anything in there right now... I think if frustrates him though."

"I think he understands Duo."

"He does... he says I can control when we move to the next step... but I know he wants to now."

"How do you know that?

"Because he tried to French me last night and I pushed him away."

Quatre smiled sympathetically. "Oh. Well I'm still sure he understands Duo."

Duo smiled back. "Yeah, so how are things with Trowa?"

"You don't see me complaining, do you?" Quatre smirked shyly.

"Yeah," Duo laughed, "after what I saw last night, I'd say you've nothing to complain about."

Quatre's cheeks darkened. "Ah... ha..."

"I hope I can be as happy as you two someday."

"With Heero?"

"If it works out. Right now I barely let him touch me so anything sexual is out of the question."

Quatre smiled again. "I'm sure you will soon."

"Gee... Just think before this all happened to me all I could thing about was having sex with Heero."

"Well," Quatre sighed, "as horrible as what happened to you was, maybe it was a good thing. I mean you're seeing Heero as more than just an object of lust, as a real person and you two are forming a real relationship."

"Yeah, Heero's been so supportive through all this. I've been able to see a softer, more understanding side of him." Now Duo blushed. "And well I really like this side of him."

"I think it's been good for him too. He's actually being sociable and well... acting human."

"He's always been human... he just needed to be pried out of his shell a little more. And I'm just the guy to do it!"

Quatre shook his head, laughing quietly. "Guess you're right. But other than that, everything's good?"

"Oh yeah, I have no complains about anything. I mean I love Heero. And I'm so glad this is all finally happening." Duo smiled broadly, sprawling out over the bed. "So, any clue where our handsome boyfriends ran off to?"

Quatre shook his head profusely, little blonde strands flying over his face. "No, Trowa was gone before I got up."

"Heero too." Duo got a devious grin on his face. "You don't think they decided to ditch us and ran off together, do ya?"

That comment earned him a pillow to the head, courtesy of Quatre. "Maybe Heero ditched you," Quatre retorted sarcastically, "but I know my Trowa. Heero's not his type."

Duo smirked and threw the pillow back at Quatre. "Yeah, I know. He likes short, girly, blondes."

Quatre picked up two pillows and smacked Duo with both of them, one to each side of the head. Duo reached up and yanked one out of Quatre's hand.

"At least I don't look like a girl." Quatre fired back.

"Nice Quatre. I may look like a girl but I'm all man underneath." Duo's smirked widened and he scratched himself to emphasize his point.

Quatre just rolled his eyes.

"Tro's not Heero's type either."

"Yeah I know. You're nothing like Trowa and Heero likes you so..." Quatre giggled.

Duo threw the pillow at Quatre, the reached over and patted his knee. "C'mon, let's get some breakfast."

"Sounds good." Quatre climbed off the bed, and looked at Duo who was still laying there. "Well come on. I'm not going to serve you."

Duo groaned and rolled off the bed. "Man, Kat, you're no fun."

"I thought you'd be use to people like that," Quatre smirked, "I mean you hang out with Heero and he can't be much fun."

"Hey!" Duo jumped up and draped an arm around Quatre's thin shoulders. "Don't talk about my Hee-chan that way! He can be... when he wants... maybe... someday... Oh hush!" Duo gave up trying to think of a time Heero had actually been fun. Although he was sweet and Duo had fun with him, he wasn't necessarily a very fun person.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Title: A Helping Hand 9

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Most of the day Duo spent talking with Quatre and feeling more like himself than he'd felt in awhile. So by the time Trowa and Heero returned, not only was Duo all out of ice cream but he was excited, happy and smiling again.

The moment Heero stepped in the door, Duo bounced up and over to him, ambushing him at the door and kissing him before he could even shut the door. Trowa softly chuckled as he past them and Quatre let out a wolf whistle as he got up to meet Trowa.

Heero carefully detangled himself from Duo, but only long enough to shut the door and then Duo's arms were tightly wrapped around him once more. Softly he smiled at his boyfriend, putting his arms around Duo.

"Glad you're home baby." Duo kissed Heero lightly on the lips.

"Hm."

Duo pouted at him. "You're not happy to be home? Not happy to see me?"

"Very happy to be home," The coldness dropped from his voice. "And very happy to have someone to come home to."

Duo's eyes lit up in a way Heero had never seen before. The violet orbs seemed to glow in the dim hallway. They shone so brightly, Heero didn't even need Solo to tell him that Duo loved him. The truth was right there, reflected in those beautiful eyes.

Duo took Heero by the hand and began dragging him into the living room. When Heero slipped his hand out of Duo's, the braided boy turned to him puzzled and slightly hurt.

"Duo, I've got a report to write."

"Hee-chan..." Duo whined. "It can wait a little. It won't take you that long to write. Come on; hang out with the rest of us. I've missed you all day. Didn't you miss me?"

"Yes. But Duo..."

"Just do as he asks." came Solo's calm voice, once again double-teaming Heero."

/Why are you always on his side?/

"Cause he's my be... was my best friend. And I love him."

"All right." Heero let Duo lead him into the living room. Heero just hoped that Wufei wasn't there. The Chinese pilot was the only one that would say something about Duo getting him to do whatever he asked.

/But Wufei doesn't know that I'm always being unfairly double-teamed!/ Heero angrily thought, hoping Solo heard him.

There was a soft laugh in his head. "I'm just looking out for Duo."

There wasn't another minute to waste arguing with Solo. Duo had already seated them both on the couch and was cuddling with him. He didn't argue because he'd truly missed holding Duo all day. So Heero sneaked a secure arm around him, bringing Duo closer to him and planting a kiss on top of his head. A sigh, a contented sigh escaped Duo as he snuggled deeper into Heero's shoulder.

Quatre smiled happily at the two of them. He knew better than anyone else that Duo had had a crush - if you will - on Heero for some time now. So he was very happy that Duo finally had what he wanted, even if it wasn't everything he'd wanted in a relationship with Heero just yet.

Duo glanced at Quatre, returning the smile on his face. "So," Duo asked, "You two lovebirds have any plans for tomorrow?"

Quatre glanced at Trowa and then back at Duo. "Not really. Why?"

"Well," Duo's eyes flicked to Heero. "We were kinda hoping to have the place to ourselves. You know... some alone time for the two of us." Duo smirked.

Trowa chuckled softly. "You didn't tell me you two were that far Heero." Quatre elbowed him in the gut.

"We're not."

"You gabbed about us to Trowa?"

"You told Quatre, didn't you?" Heero retorted.

"Well yes, but..." Duo faltered. "You never said anything about telling Trowa."

Trowa cut in. "The mission was pretty boring so we had some time to talk."

Quatre raised an eyebrow at him. "And what else did you talk about."

Duo stared at Heero.

"Whatever came up."

Heero snickered. "Mainly Trowa complained about how much he missed Quatre."

"I didn't..."

Trowa's sentence was cut short by Quatre hugging him tightly and kissing him deeply.

Duo laughed softly. "Get a room you two!"

Quatre pulled away from Trowa. "I think we can work something out so you two can have some time alone. You definitely deserve it."

Duo whispered into Heero's ear. "Trowa didn't say that, did he?"

"No. But it got him to shut up."

"Yeah. But you're not off the hook, mister."

Heero smirked and kissed Duo softly.

Duo enjoyed the small kiss, but pulled away, grinning as well. "Nice try Heero. But you're still not off the hook."

Heero sighed. "We just talked about our relationship. I just told him we'd started dating and that we're taking things slow. I didn't say anything about what happened to you..." Heero brushed his hand down Duo's cheek. "Seems everyone but me knew how much you wanted to be with me."

Duo laughed. "Maybe you should have paid more attention. I made plenty of advances on you."

"Well, you've got my attention now."

"I know." Duo bit his lip. As Heero looked at him with that soft, fondness in his eyes again, Duo knew he had to tell Heero he loved him now. Even if Heero didn't say it back, he had to tell him. Duo leaned closer to Heero again and breathed softly in his ear. "Heero... I love you..."

Heero smiled slightly and hugged Duo tightly to his chest.

"Aren't you going to say something to him?"

/Solo please, let me do it on my own time. I don't like you telling me how I feel when I haven't figured it out for myself./

Duo smiled back at him. "So?"

"I know Duo." Heero replied softly. Duo nodded back, accepting that that was the only answer he'd get from Heero. But at least he felt better for telling him.

Duo yawned and released his grip on Heero. "You should go write your report." Heero nodded, lightly kissing Duo before standing up. "I'll be up soon. I'm getting kinda tired, so I'll be coming to bed soon."

Heero squeezed Duo's hand, then climbed up the stairs and headed to their room.

As Heero was about to start his report, a document open with Solo already ranting at him.

Why can't you just admit it!

Listen! I told you, I'll tell him when I'm ready! I'm not sure how I feel, so stop pushing me. And besides, he's been through a lot lately and I don't want to push him and have him feel obligated to do something he's not ready for just because I say something like that.

You mean sex?

Yes.

Duo's loved you for a long time.

He's lusted over me for a long time you mean.

Solo ignored that comment.

All he's ever wanted was to be with you. He's not concerned about sex.

Really? And just what kind of thoughts did he have about me before he was gang raped?

Well ah... you holding him and the two of you having sex...

Heero smirked.

That's what I thought.

But he doesn't think about that now. He just wants to be with you.

And he is. But he's not ready to hear that from me right now. He may seem fine but he's still emotionally unstable. And until I'm ready to say it and he's ready to hear it, I don't want you pushing me anymore.

Oh, alright!

Besides I made a promise to him too.

What?

That he's in control of our relationship. It'll only move forward when he's ready.

But he said he loved you! That's moving forward.

Slightly yes. But there's more to this than just words. All I had to do was look in his eyes to know that he loves me.

Well he doesn't have that luxury! You're a cold, heartless, emotionless bastard!

Yet you said I was right for him.

Solo didn't respond.

Having doubts about that now?

It's too late for me to have doubts. Besides, Duo picked you, not me, I'm just here to help the two of you and make sure Duo is happy.

And if I was really as emotionless as you say, I wouldn't care about him and I wouldn't have taken such good care of him. Or haven't I done a satisfactory job of that?

Yes, you've taken great care of him.

Thank you. Now I have work to do.

I'm sorry, Heero. It's just that I love him and I want him to be happy. I couldn't do it while I was alive so I'm doing everything I can for him now.

I understand.

Heero closed the document and went to work on his report to J. It was very mandarin and boring so it only took a few short minutes. But just long enough so that he finished just as Duo came into through the door.

"Done?"

"Yes."

"Heero." Duo crossed the room and rested his hands on Heero's shoulders.

"Hm?"

"About what I said downstairs, I want you to know that I really mean it."

"I know, Duo."

"And I don't expect you to say it back; I just really wanted to tell you."

Heero laid his hand over the top of Duo's. /Maybe someday Duo... Someday./

"Ready for bed koi?"

"Yeah." Duo smiled.

"Aren't you upset that he doesn't tell you he loves you?" Solo's voice rang in Duo's ear as he changed for bed. Duo sometimes wondered if Solo's voice in his head was just his imagination, but times like this, when Solo seemed very passionate about what he was saying, he knew Solo was there in the room with him and he always expected to turn around and see his childhood friend standing beside him.

/Not really, He has to care about me a little bit though. Heero's not that type to use a word like koibito lightly. I have to mean something to him and he must feel something toward me to use an endearment at all. But if he ever tells me or even if he doesn't, I'm happy just being with him./

Duo heard Solo sigh and laughed inwardly. /What's wrong Solo-chan?/

"Nothing Duo-chan, nothing as long as you're happy."

Duo smiled as he slipped into bed beside Heero. The Japanese's pilot's arms drew him closer and Duo complied nicely snuggling close to Heero. Heero's lips brushed Duo's cheek as the braided teen nestled on his chest, and then he closed his eyes.

"I love you Heero."

Heero squeezed him tightly then loosened his grip. Duo happily sighed; closing his eyes as well and went to sleep.

Solo waited until both pilots were sound asleep, then he leapt into Heero. The Prussian eyes opened and looked fondly at Duo. Being in Heero's body though he could tell that Heero was a little confused about his feelings for Duo, but there were certainly very strong emotions tied to the other pilot. And what shocked Solo the most was that they were almost as deep as his own feelings for Duo.

/Someone, though, has to tell him they love him./

He rolled the two over, laying Duo gently on the pillow. Using Heero's hand, he brushed Duo's cheek, pushing aside stray bangs. Then he leaned down and kissed Duo's lips, ever so light. It was something else he'd always wanted to do.

"I love you Duo-chan."

"Love ya too... Hee-chan..."

Solo bristle a bit. But he had to have expected that. After all Duo's main thoughts now were his boyfriend. And even if him talking through Heero made the Japanese boy's voice lighted and more emotional, it was still Heero's voice Duo heard.

Sighing, Solo left Heero's body, not bothering to lay him back down. Heero landed with a squeak from the bed. His eyes flew open and he glanced around the dark room.

Glaring, he thought. /Solo!/

But there was no answer.

Letting it be for now, Heero took Duo back into his arms, and after Duo had readjusted himself back against Heero, sound asleep the whole time, Heero allowed himself to go back to sleep.

~TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Title: A Helping Hand 10

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

The next day Quatre and Trowa had kept their promise and had left before Heero had even gotten up. Heero kept his as well, spending the whole day with Duo. He started by making breakfast for him, having it ready by the bed when he went to wake Duo gently from his sleep with a kiss.

"Hmm... if that isn't the best way to wake up, I don't know what is."

"Good morning Duo." Heero set the tray beside Duo.

"Mm... Mornin' Hee-chan."

Heero walked over to his desk and heard Duo groan. "Heero! You're supposed to be spending the day with me, not sitting on that damn thing."

Heero smirked and shook his head as he powered down the laptop. "Calm down Duo. I'm turning it off so no one bothers us today."

"Oh Hee-chan," Duo gushed, "that's so sweet of you."

Heero went over and kissed Duo softly.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Duo asked through a mouthful of pancakes.

"I already did, while I was making yours."

"Oh," Duo replied sadly.

Heero smiled softly at Duo. "Hey we still have lunch and dinner to eat together.

Duo let out a short laugh. "I know."

"So what do you want to do today?" Heero asked as he fingered Duo's braid.

"Well," Duo smirked, "we can start with you fixing my hair for me?"

Heero nodded at him. As Duo continued to devour his pancakes - enjoying them more than he usually did because Heero had made these ones especially for him - Heero slipped off the hair band holding Duo's braid. Carefully he unbraided the chestnut strands, letting them fall over Duo's back. Duo moaned around his fork as he felt Heero's fingers sweep through his hair.

Heero patiently waited until Duo was finished eating before he started to brush the mane in front of him.

The two young lovers ended up spending the whole day together, just talking, kissing and cuddling the whole time. That night after they'd made and eaten supper together, they were sitting, cuddled up on the couch. Duo eventually convinced Heero to watch some anime with him, though he wouldn't tell him what it was called or what it was about.

They were sitting there, wrapped in a blanket, calmly watching when the two male characters started kissing (1). Duo smiled up at Heero and laughed at his boyfriend's shocked expression.

"What?" Duo giggled. "Come on, you should have expected that from me."

"Yeah." Heero gave Duo a gentle squeeze. Just as he was about to lean down and kiss Duo, there came a knock at the door.

Duo groaned loudly. "Don't answer it. Do whatever you were about to instead."

Heero was going to go along with Duo's plead, when he heard that high, shrilled voice that always made his skin crawl.

"Oh god..." Duo whined. "Really, please, please, please, don't answer it!"

"She'll just sit out there calling until I do."

"Heeeeeeeeeerrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrooo ooooooooooooo! " it came again, getting a shudder from Heero.

Duo sighed, annoyed. Of course she would have to show up when Heero and he were having some alone time together. "Fine, go let your accursed girlfriend in."

"She's *not* my girlfriend. I have you and that's all I want."

"So you're going to tell her that we're dating?" asked Duo hopefully. Seeing, Heero hesitate though he sighed again. "It's ok. You don't have to tell her now. But someday..."

"Someday, I will, I promise Duo."

As Heero got up, Duo stopped the anime they'd been watching and drew the blanket around himself. He hadn't bothered with getting dressed all day and so he was still in his boxers and t-shirt. It wasn't that he cared if Relena saw him that way - he figured she hated him anyway so what did it matter? - It was just that when Heero had gotten up he got cold.

Heero went to the door, steeling himself against getting hugged by Relena. He opened it slowly, already glaring at the young girl standing on the other side.

"Heero!" She squealed, throwing her arms around him. As the sweet smell of her perfume overwhelmed him, he thought he was going to be sick.

"So who is she and why aren't you telling her you're dating Duo?" Solo demanded, sounding very angry. And quite rightly, Heero thought to himself, but still as much as she annoyed him, he didn't want to break her heart. He'd tell her slowly and on his own terms.

"Relena." Heero addressed the girl, prying her forcibly off of him and slipping just enough malice into his monotone voice to cause her to back up.

"I came to see how you were doing." Relena replied, her light voice dripping with sweetness. "Can I come in?" She asked politely, batting her eyes at him.

"No." Heero responded curtly, being as rude as possible and purposely standing in her way.

"But why?" Relena's blue eyes narrowed and with a sudden burst of strength Heero hadn't expected from her, she shoved Heero out of her way and stormed into the house. "Do you have another girl in here?" She stomped out into the living room, glaring. Then she saw Duo sitting on the couch. Sighing, she looked back at Heero. "Oh, it's just Maxwell." She smiled, one which she must have thought was alluring, but that Heero found disgusting. "So what are the two of you doing?" she asked sweetly.

"Having a good time until, you showed up." Duo muttered just loud enough for Relena to hear him.

Heero chuckled softly and moved past Relena to sit down beside Duo, who stared at him with sad purple eyes.

"And what exactly is that suppose to mean?" Relena snapped back forcing herself between the two pilots and nearly sitting on Heero.

Duo fumed. "It means we were having a good time until you showed up!" He just wanted so badly to tell her that they'd been fucking each other senseless, but he couldn't lie like that. "I finally got Heero to relax and watch a movie instead of sitting in his room all day."

"Oh?" Relena, who seemed to have ignored Duo's shouting, smirked. "Why don't we turn it back on then?" Relena picked up the remote and pushed play. "Duo, be a dear and get me something to drink."

"Relena, he doesn't have to get you a drink."

"No. No, it's fine." Duo replied through gritted teeth. "I'll get her something to drink." He pushed the blanket off himself and stormed off to the kitchen, but not before hearing Relena comment on his pajamas.

Duo grumbled, but proceeded to get a glass down for the unwelcome guest.

"Oh Duo?" Relena chimed, making Duo shiver with disgust. /Now I know how Heero feels when she does that. / "I only drink bottled water, not tap."

Duo smirked. "Yes queenie!" Duo got a few ice cubes from the freezer; then filled the glass from the faucet. He went to take it to her, but stopped at the entryway to the living room, Relena was sitting on Heero's lap!

His Heero's lap! He should have been sitting there!

"So why is he letting her do that? I thought he was your boyfriend now." Solo spoke harshly to Duo, venom and contempt clear in his usually kind voice.

/I'm not exactly sure... Probably something to do with the fact that she's important and will do some good some day and Heero knows this. Also he knows that she draws her strength from him, and keeping her happy with ensure that she will do good work... or some such bullshit. /

"But he's your boyfriend!"

/Yeah I know. And it pisses me off, but Heero's being patient with me on things, so I'll be patient with him on this. And in some ways I think they need each other too. Even if they don't understand it yet, they do each other good. /

"What about you? Don't you do him good?"

Duo smiled happily. / Don't worry about me. I know I do him good as well. I mean he smiles and laughs now. Not because of her, but because of me. I have Heero in a way that she never will. I know he has no romantic feelings for her so I'm not bothered by it.../ Duo glanced at the two on the couch. /Much.../

"Duo, I know you better than that."

/Ok, maybe I am really pissed that she's on his lap about to kiss him. Kiss him! /

Duo blinked again. But his eyes weren't deceiving him. She was leaning into Heero, about to kiss him.

Duo felt his stomach sink. He tried to say something to ruin it, but his mouth was dry and there was a lump in his throat. Everything seemed to slow down, and as her lips got closer, his heart, which now felt like a rock, seemed to sink as well.

/Please, don't kiss her. Please don't. Don't kiss her. Don't kiss her. Don't.../

TBC

(1) Pick whatever anime you want to think of there, there were just so many to choose from and I couldn't decide which one I wanted them to be watching. ^_~


	11. Chapter 11

Title: A Helping Hand 11

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero put his hand over Relena's mouth and pushed her away from him. There was no way he was going to let Relena kiss him. Firstly, the only person he wanted to kiss was Duo and secondly, he'd probably vomit if she did.

"What is it Heero?" she whined, trying to be sweet.

"You know Duo is still here."

"So!" she exclaimed in a huff, "It would do that faggot good to see a real straight couple."

Duo's hand balled into a fist and he struck the wall next to him, bits of plaster falling to the floor. He was about to burst into the room; pick up the vile girl and throw her out when Heero spoke up for him.

Heero stood up so fast that Relena slipped off his lap and landed hard on the floor. "Don't, you ever say that again."

Relena pushed herself off the floor. "Heero... Why are you so upset? I was just…"

"Get out!" Heero interrupted her. "No one calls Duo that."

"Why are you mad? It's just Duo."

"Duo's my friend, a very close friend. And I happen to like him a lot more than I like you. Now *get out*." Heero grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the door.

"Ow! Heero! You're hurting me!"

"Be glad I don't to worse." He pushed her through the door and slammed it shut, locking it.

Duo slowly walked over to him, nursing his hand. "Wow. I wasn't expecting you to do that."

"She insulted you. What was I suppose to do?"

Duo grinned. "Let me hit her instead of the wall?" He held out his hand for Heero to see.

Heero glanced over the bleeding knuckles and sighed. "Didn't your hand just finish healing?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Duo went back and sat on the couch. "Yeah so, I got a little pissed when she called me a faggot."

"Hn." Heero joined his boyfriend on the couch, wrapping an arm around him.

"I know you got pissed too." Duo snuggled up against Heero. "But let's just try to enjoy the rest of our evening, huh?"

"Yeah," Heero kissed Duo softly on the lips. To his surprise Duo's lips parted under his and his tongue darted out to slide across Heero's bottom lip. Gently Heero pulled back, he wanted to make sure Duo really wanted this before he pushed on. "Duo…? Does that mean we're moving to the next step?"

"You bet your ass it does solider boy." Wrapping his arm around Heero's neck and climbing into his lap, Duo kissed Heero again, deeply this time.

Heero placed one arm around Duo's waist, while his other hand rested against Duo's cheek. His tongue slipped into Duo's open mouth, causing a slight gasp from the other boy and causing his lover to pull back just slightly. Breaking the kiss again, Heero sat back.

"Duo, are you sure about this?"

Nodding, Duo kissed Heero's neck. "Yeah, I'm sure. Just be patient with me."

Placing his hand on Duo's chin, Heero lifted his head up and leaned in, kissing him once more. Duo's tongue greeted his as he pushed their lips together. Gently Heero once again slid his tongue into Duo's mouth. Duo only moaned this time, shoving his own tongue into Heero's mouth. Smiling into the kiss, Heero explored Duo's warm mouth, memorizing every inch of it.

Enjoying their kiss so much, neither one of them heard the front door open and close. Nor did they hear the footsteps leading into the living room. They didn't hear anything until the annoyed voice broke them from each other.

"Geez! And here I thought with Quatre and Trowa gone today, I wouldn't have to come back to see a make out session between two guys!"

Duo snickered as he laid his head on Heero's shoulder. "What Fei... you jealous? Want to join us?"

Wufei glared at him. "... Not in your dreams Maxwell."

"Good. Cause I only dream about Heero."

Heero smiled casually. "Sorry Wufei. We weren't expecting you home tonight."

"Are you guys ever expecting me 'home'?"

Smirking, Heero shook his head. "None of us really know when or if you're ever going to come back."

Sighing, Duo lifted himself off Heero. /First Relena ruins things, and then Fei comes home in a bad mood. God he needs to get laid... Well technically so do I... but I can wait. But him.../

"Hey Hee-chan, I'm going to bed ok? Try not to stay up too late."

"I won't koi." Heero kissed Duo softly before letting him go.

"I love you Heero."

Heero smiled. "I know."

"Why can't you just tell him? You know you do." Solo whined in Heero's ear.

/I thought we discussed this already./ "Goodnight Duo."

"Night," Duo replied softly as he headed upstairs. "'Night Fei."

Heero sighed heavily. /There went our night together... First that bitch and now Wufei.../

After Duo had gone upstairs, Wufei sat in the chair and looked at Heero. "I never would have thought you and him would be together."

"You didn't know how he felt about me?"

"Are you kidding? You were the only one that didn't see it. I just didn't think you'd ever give into him."

"Hn..." Heero smiled slightly. "I guess you never can tell what's going to happen."

"I guess not..." Wufei seemed a little sad.

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"He's lying." Solo told Heero, although he could already tell that. "He has feelings for Duo too. If it wasn't that Duo loved you, and you came around, I would have just given up on you and went to Wufei to help him get Duo's attention."

Heero's eyes widened at Solo's admission.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Title: A Helping Hand 12

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero's eyes narrowed slightly at Wufei. /So he has a crush on Duo... and Solo would have chosen him to take care of Duo if I hadn't... / Now that things had started between himself and Duo, he wasn't going to let anyone ruin them. Not Wufei. Not anyone. Duo was his.

"I think I'm going to head to bed now too."

Wufei looked up at him. "Alright." He was puzzled, Heero had given him that glare. What was the Japanese pilot thinking? /And since when does he announce that he's going to bed... / he pondered. Heero usually just left the room, never telling anyone what he was doing. /Duo must be rubbing off on him or something... /

Starting up the stairs, he mumbled just loud enough for Wufei to hear him. "Duo's mine."

Wufei's eyes widened. Was Heero on to him? How could he know? He forced a laugh. "Of course he is. Why would I care either way?"

Heero grunted then continued up the stairs and to his and Duo's room. His lover was lying on the bed.

"'Bout time you get up here." Duo grinned.

"Hn." Heero replied, stripping off his shirt and climbing into bed next to Duo. He wrapped his arms around his lover and laid his head on Duo's chest, squeezing him tightly.

Duo glanced at him, a little puzzled, but he liked the affection and put his arms around Heero in return and squeezed him back. "I love you Heero."

Heero squeezed him again, giving a nuzzle to Duo's chest. "Sorry the day didn't go quite as planned."

Duo smiled and kissed the top of Heero's head. "I got to spend time with you, that's all I wanted."

Letting his eyes drift shut, Heero clung to his boyfriend.

Solo smiled as he watched the two of them. After Duo fell asleep, he possessed Heero's laptop, turning it on and starting a new document to open when Heero powered it up again in the morning.

He wrote:

Heero, I'm very glad to see that you're starting to see just how important Duo is to you. I hope you realize why I chose you over Wufei though. Firstly Duo loves you more than anything else, second, you're better suited to understand him and third, and most important of all, I trust you to take care of him.

But don't take this the wrong way, I still don't like some of the things you do, but I know you're the best person out there for him. Please take care of him, he's very dear to me.

And just so you don't get the wrong idea, this is not me saying goodbye to you too just yet. You won't be rid of me until Duo knows how you feel about him.

Solo

The laptop powered off again.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Title: A Helping Hand 13

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free, just lemme know.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

It was a week after Solo had told Heero that Wufei was in love with Duo. Solo had seemly decided that Heero was capable of handling things with Duo himself and had been very quiet for the last week.

Which Heero was very fortunate for.

He'd read Solo's message on the computer and was pleased that Solo trusted him now.

Though there were other problems developing now. Problems that would involve him leaving Duo alone, which he really didn't want to, do. And it was going to be for more than a day. His next mission had him planning to be gone for at least a week if not longer, depending on how long everything took.

Duo was none too happy about it either. He'd expressed his concerns to Heero the day before.

"Do you *really* have to go?" Duo had pouted.

"Duo," Heero sighed in return. "You know how this all works and you know I have to go."

"Well," Duo hesitated. "Can't I come with you?"

Heero had turned in his chair and touched Duo's cheek softly as the other boy stood beside him. "You said it yourself that you didn't think you were ready to go back to all this... Trowa will be with me and everything will be fine. I'll be back before you know it." Heero then stood up and went to his closet and pulled out his suitcase. Glancing at Duo, he had begun to pack.

That had been yesterday, and now Heero, along with Trowa were heading out. Heero softly kissed Duo, who in turn deepened the kiss and wrapped his arms around Heero's waist. Heero smirked into the kiss, and put his hand on Duo's neck.

"I love you..." Duo said as he pulled back.

Heero nodded. "Yes I know... Me too..." He whispered.

Smiling happily Duo let him go.

It had been three days since the two had left. Duo sat in his pajamas, wrapped in a blanket, on the window seat, moping as he stared out it. His only comfort was that Quatre was there suffering with him. The blond seemed to be as miserable without Trowa as he was without Heero.

/Maybe more so.../ He thought as he glanced at Quatre, who was lying on the couch, channel suffering.

"You alright there, Blondie?"

"Just fine..." Quatre muttered as he flipped through channels.

Duo sighed heavily. "Maybe we should go out and do something. Get our minds off this until they come back..."

With a raised eyebrow, Quatre laughed at him.

"What?"

"Duo, you've refuse to leave this house without Heero since..." He stopped before he finished his sentence.

"Hey! That's not fair! I went to the store..."

"Heero was with you." Quatre interrupted.

"The gym..."

"Heero."

"Fine. Maybe I feel like going out now." Duo looked out the window and pulled the blanket tighter around himself. "Yeah I really do feel like going... ah shit! Quick lock the door!"

"Why? What is it?" Quatre asked as he shot up from the couch.

Duo heard the door being thrown open and a hideous noise that always made his skin crawl. "Fuck... Too late..."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Title: A Helping Hand 14

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: ChibiMina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Duo groaned out loud. Mentally he yelled at himself for not moving faster to lock the door. He looked at Quatre, whose face had turned white. Duo guessed he was as thrilled by their unwanted guest as he was.

"Is Heero upstairs? I packed a lunch for us. I thought he and I could go for a picnic." Relena grinned happily.

Quatre looked at her and smiled wryly. "Heero's not here, Relena."

"I doubt he'd want to eat anything you made anyway." Duo mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. Quatre choked back a laugh.

Relena must have chosen to ignore him, but it was obvious his comment had made her mad as her face turned red and she clenched her fist.

"Why are you two so moppy? You're acting like someone died. Why are you both just sitting here?"

"We're just waiting for Trowa and Heero to come back." Quatre answered her calmly.

Duo went back to his spot on the window seat and continued to stare out it. "She's right Kat. We really should go out and do something." Duo smirked. "But I think we should go on a double date when Tro and Heero come back. That would be fun."

Quatre's eyes widened and he stared at Duo.

"A double date…? Why would the four of you go on a double date?"

"He's joking Relena. Can I get you anything?"

Relena glared at Duo. There was just something in the way Duo had said that, that didn't suit her. "Heero's not gay you know. So stop mopping around waiting for him, cause he's never going to be yours."

Duo snickered and Quatre threw him a warning glance.

"You're the one that doesn't know shit about Heero, Queenie. "

"Just because you're gay and have a crush on him, doesn't mean he's going to come to you. Heero and I are going to be together, no matter what."

"I'm sure..." Duo smirked. "And just because you follow him around like a little lost puppy doesn't make him yours."

"And what about you…? You're always at the same school, in the same classes; you're following him just as much."

Duo glared at her. "That's because we work together. And Heero's the one that usually set up the schools and classes we go to." He chuckled a bit. "Besides, he doesn't mind me being there as much as you. Remember, we also usually share a dorm too, so I hear just how much he dislikes you. And we also do things that I'm sure you wouldn't understand." Smirking as her face turned pale, Duo caught Quatre shaking his head.

"You're sick Maxwell." Relena shook with fury. How dare he talk about Heero like that! "Stay away from Heero."

Getting up from the window seat, Duo met her gaze. "You can't tell me who to be friends with! Heero's my boyfriend and...!"

Quatre's eyes widened.

Duo mentally smacked himself. /He's going to kill me.../

Relena laughed a decidedly forced laughter as she couldn't be sure Duo was lying. "As if... You're delusional." She turned to Quatre, apparently fed up with arguing with Duo. "Please tell Heero I stopped and ask him when would be a good time for him and *I* to have lunch, hm? Thanks Quatre."

The blond nodded and showed her to the door. "Sure, no problem." After shutting the door he ran back to Duo. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't! It just slipped out..." Duo slapped his hand against his forehead. "He's gonna kill me."

Meanwhile, Relena sat on the front step. Duo had to be joking with her. There was no way Heero could be gay.

/But he sounded so serious.../ she thought to herself.

She felt like she was going to be sick.

"I have to find out for sure..." she muttered to herself as she forced herself up from the concrete. In her mind as she walked back to her limo, she was already forming a plan.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Title: A Helping Hand 15

Author: Tayjena

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, shounen ai, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Beta: Chibimina

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero and Trowa returned from their mission a few days after their lover's unexpected visit from Relena. They arrived home in the middle of the night, it was dark and cold and Heero wasn't really sure if he was holding Trowa up or if Trowa was holding him up. He did, however know that there was a strange feeling in his chest, like his lungs were on fire and that on the trip home Trowa and he had both been coughing and he was sure he at least was running a fever.

Trowa smirked as they both stumbled up the stairs. "They're both going to kill us..."

"For coming back so late."

"For getting sick." Trowa corrected, a little smile on his face.

Heero chuckled very softly. "You're probably right."

They carefully and quietly made their way up the stairs. They said goodnight to each other as Heero stepped into Duo and his room.

He was surprise to find Duo awake and staring out the window. Stepping into the room he had every intention of going to his lover, but barely managed to make it to the bed before he collapsed on it.

"What are you still doing up? Waiting for me?"

Duo smiled as he turned from the window. "Maybe a little, but mostly I just couldn't sleep."

"Don't get mad at him..." A voice whispered so softly Heero wasn't sure he'd heard it at all. Of course he knew it was Solo.

"Don't get mad..." Duo said softly as he came over and sat next to Heero.

Heero shook his head, hating the echoing he got from Solo and Duo. He softly took Duo's hand in his. "As long as you didn't find someone else while I was gone... I'm sure I'll be all right with whatever you have to say."

"That's good..." Duo laughed tensely. "Cause I may have let it slip to Relena that you and I are dating."

"You what?"

"I'm sorry... It just slipped out... I didn't mean to tell her..."

Heero coughed and laid down. "Don't worry about it... I would have..." He started coughing again.

"Heero, are you feeling all right?"

"No... Got sick.."

"Heero..." Duo touched his forehead. "You've got a fever..."

"Yea... I should be ok in a few days... Maybe you should sleep in your own bed until then so you don't get sick too..."

Duo smiled and kissed Heero's forehead. "No, it's ok. I'll live with it... cause it means you'd have to take care of me then."

Heero let out a soft laugh before he started coughing again.

Duo got up and went to the bathroom. Opening the medicine cabinet he looked for some cough syrup. Once he had it, he went back to the bedroom, only to find Heero sleeping. He smiled softly, setting the bottle on the nightstand and shutting off the light before climbing into bed with Heero and falling asleep.

Duo woke up early the next day, barely remembering that Heero had come home the night before and completely forgetting that Heero was coughing the night before. He rolled over and found Heero lying there, and smiled to himself and cuddled him against him. The moment he put his arm around Heero, his lover woke up coughing heavily.

Quickly sitting up, Duo frowned over him. "You're sick..."

"Yes..." Heero coughed, squinting up at him. "We established that last night when I came home."

"Oh..." Duo sighed, then slowly a smiled crossed his lips. "Well you just lay here and rest. I'll take care of you." Pushing the blankets to one side he crawled out of bed and headed out of the room.

Heero groaned and rolled onto his side. His eyelid felt heavy and he couldn't keep them open, they slid shut over his eyes.

Downstairs Duo stepped into the kitchen and found Quatre standing over the stove. He walked over to him and leaned against the counter. Glancing over, he looked into the contents of the pot Quatre was stirring.

"Soup?" Smirking, he raised an eyebrow at Quatre. "Trowa sick too?"

"Too? You mean Heero is sick."

Duo laughed softly. "Yeah. He's human after all. So ah, try not to burn it this time Kat." Quatre's face turned pink at that comment, causing the long-haired young man to laugh.

Quatre snickered a bit as he continued to stir the soup. "You want to get some bowls and then I'll take care of my man and you can take care of yours."

The braided boy continued to laugh as he went over to the cupboard. Sighing he opened it and pulled down two bowls and set them on the counter then moved to open a drawer next to the sink and took out two spoons.

"Can't believe that they got sick..."

"It happens Duo."

"Yeah I know."

Quatre shook his head and picked up a ladle and grabbed one of the bowls and started to carefully used the ladle to scoop and pour the soup into the bowl. He backed away from the stove and waved Duo to the stove. Duo smirked and followed the same process Quatre had just done. Then he picked up the two spoons and dropped one into the bowl Quatre was carrying and held the other in his hand.

The two of them then proceeded back up stairs, Duo went into the first room on the right and Quatre went down the hall the other bedroom.

Duo carefully sat down on bed and looked at Heero, exhaling loudly. He placed the bowl and spoon down on the nightstand. Laying down he rubbed Heero's back.

"Hee-chan? I brought you up some soup."

Heero groaned again and an eye peeked open at Duo.

"You need to try and eat something."

Heero glared at him. "Do you really think I can eat something right now? I'm sick... I've never been sick before."

Smiling at his lover, Duo nodded. "Sick people still have to eat. And you should be able to keep this down pretty easily. Soups the best thing when you're sick." Lightly he ran his fingers through Heero's hair, still smiling down at him.

Moaning softly in agony, Heero forced himself into a somewhat sitting position. He leaned heavily against the headboard. Duo smiled and slipped his arm around Heero and adjusted the pillow behind his back. Gently he laid him back against it and turned to pick up the bowl of soup. He picked the spoon up out of it, then lightly blew on it, and held it up to Heero's lips. The Japanese boy stared at him for a moment and then opened his mouth.

A moment later, Duo moved the spoon slightly and Heero's lips closed around it. Duo smiled, pulling the spoon back and watching Heero closely. He continued to slowly spoon feed the Japanese pilot, until Heero fell back against his pillow groaning that he didn't want anymore.

"Alright." Duo rose from the bed and took the bowl downstairs -Heero hated dishes being left in the room- and rinsed it out before setting it in the sink to be washed later. Then he climbed back up the stairs to find Heero fighting with the pillows on the bed, in order to get comfortable. This made him grin. He walked over to the bed and gently eased Heero up, shifted the pillows a bit behind him with one hand and then scooted Heero up just enough so he could climb in behind him and let Heero rest on his chest.

Heero, content and comfortable now, laid still against Duo's chest, listening to the other boy's heart beating. His eyes kept opening and closing as he fought to stay awake. This being sick thing did not sit well with him. He hated it.

Though he would admit it was nice having Duo take care of him.

"This is nice." Duo said, breaking the silence over them.

"Hn?" Heero barely managed to groan.

"Taking care of you now." Duo replied softly, almost reading Heero's thoughts. He rubbed his lover's back and hugged him a bit closer.

"Yea..." Was all the escaped Heero's lips before he drifted back to sleep.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Title: A Helping Hand 16

Author: Tayjena

Rating:

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero awoke several hours later to an empty bed and a dark room. He rubbed his head, only feeling, at the most, slightly better than he had when he'd fallen asleep. Glancing around the room, he already gathered that it was late in the afternoon, but the room was dark meaning Duo must have shut the blinds and curtains over the window.

But where was Duo?

Grumbling, he pushed the blankets off and hoisted himself off the bed, using the nightstand to get his balance before making a slow track to the door. Using the wall to keep himself up, he moved down the hallway to the staircase. His fingers closed tightly around the banister as he stepped down the stairs.

It annoyed him that he felt so weak, but as he was about to call out to Duo, and tell him he needed help and that he wanted to try eating something again, was when he heard angry voices near the front door.

"...then let me in! If he's sick I'll take care of him!" Hearing that voice made Heero's stomach churn in an unfamiliar and unpleasant way.

"Certainly not! He doesn't need you taking care of him! He's sleeping and I'm already taking care of him!"

Then there was laughter, sarcastic, joyless, angry laughter. "YOU! You probably made him sick just so you could fawn all over him and play up your sick delusions of him being your boyfriend in your head."

Heero wanted to finish going downstairs at that point, but Duo was making such an effort to drive the woman away, that he decided against it and turned to go back upstairs. Besides with the sickening feeling already twisting his insides, having her near him with her perfume would have likely made him feel worse.

But as he was making his way upstairs, his weak body and still burning lungs betrayed him and he began coughing.

The loud voices stopped and he could hear two sets of footsteps running toward him.

Duo forgot about fighting with Relena when he heard the pained coughs of his lover from somewhere behind them. He glanced around, and could just see Heero leaning against the railing with on hand over his mouth. Not bothering to argue any more he turned and rushed across the room and up the stairs to Heero, all the while aware that Relena was right behind him.

"Heero!" Duo came up to his side and put his arm around him. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Woke up... *cough* And you we... *cough cough* weren't in th..." Heero broke into a fierce cough before he could finish. Then he caught a whiff of that sweet perfume as Relena came up next to him. The nauseous feeling came over him again, and he felt a vile taste in the back of his throat. He choked, trying to keep it down and went to take a step, but the now sickly sweet smell followed him and he sagged against Duo as the bile rose up his throat. He barely managed to move his hand away from his mouth before the fluids came up.

Duo held Heero up as he vomited, not caring that the liquids splattered over his shoes and pant legs. He sighed softly, as he waited for it to pass and then scooped Heero up into his arms. "Come on, let's get you back upstairs and cleaned up." Stepping around the mess now all over the stairs, he carried Heero up to the bathroom, Relena still trailing behind him. He set Heero down on the floor and looked him over. "Can you manage the shower alone?"

"Yea... I think..."

Duo took a deep breath and brushed some hair away from his lovers face. "Alright. I'll get you some clothes and be right back." He waited a moment as Heero moved and started the shower climbing up to sit on the edge of the tub and then he turned to walk out, finding Relena standing in the doorway. He growled low and stepped around her closing the door as he did, and proceeded down the hall to the bedroom.

"Oh I can see you're taking *really* good care of him."

"Can it!" Duo stopped halfway to his and Heero's room, clenching his fist. "This isn't about you or me or who's best to take care of Heero. What matters now is that he's sick and taking care of him. So if you're just going to stand there and yell at me, you can get the hell out now, cause that won't help him get better."

Relena froze where she stood and stared at him. She walked up to him. "What do you need me to do?"

Duo grumbled under his breath, hoping she would have left instead, but with Quatre taking care of Trowa, he didn't want to disturb them, and could use the help with Heero. "Go downstairs and get a bowl of cold water. I'll take Heero some clothes and get a washcloth. Then," he sighed, "I'll clean up the stairs if you can get him back to bed when he's done."

"Alright."

He let her walk around him and waited until she headed down the stairs before going into the bedroom. He sighed softly and took off his shoes and stripped out of his pants, dropping them on the floor. Going to his dresser first, he dug out some clean pants for himself and pulled them on while he crossed the room and got clean clothes for Heero to wear. Taking them back down the hall, he knocked on the bathroom door before he entered, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, I brought you some clothes."

"Thanks..."

"You ok in there?"

"Yeah..."

The water stopped and Heero pushed aside the shower curtain, revealing himself sitting on the floor of the tub. Duo crossed the room and sat on the edge of the tub. Heero slowly raised his head to look at him. Duo smiled softly at him and lightly traces his fingers over Heero's cheek. Then he leaned over carefully and touched his lips to Heero's.

Heero broke away from him. "Duo... I just.."

"I don't care." Duo interrupted before kissing Heero again, but Heero drew back once more.

"Duo..."

"Heero, she's here, and I really don't care if you're sick. I want to kiss you."

Heero let out a soft sigh and then nodded. Duo's lips met his again and his tongue invaded his mouth. Duo could taste the lingering bile in Heero's mouth, but he didn't stop, instead he pushed harder into the kiss. Heero set his hands on Duo's waist, and sat up a bit, to keep Duo from falling off the ledge and into the tub, while Duo reached one arm across the tub to brace himself against the other side.

The long haired teen drew his lips back slowly and sighed. As he pulled himself back up into a sitting position, he allowed himself to fully take in Heero's wet, naked body before him and smiled, chuckling ever so softly. Heero looked so vulnerable at that moment. Not to mention hot. "Too bad you're sick and I'm still kinda blah inside. You're really sexy right now."

Heero felt an unfamiliar heat, that had nothing to do with his fever, rise to his face at Duo's comment. This caused Duo to laugh even more. "And I got you to blush, now that's something." He leaned back into the tub and kissed Heero once more, lightly this time. "You ok to get dressed alone?"

In response, Heero stood up and climbed out of the tub and grabbed a towel out of the small closet in the room to wrap around himself.

Duo smiled as he watched him. He bent down and picked up Heero's discarded clothing. "I hate to say this... But I'm gonna let Relena help you back to bed." Heero immediately turned to him distressed. "Sorry... I'd like to do it myself but I better go clean the stairs and I can't bring myself to make her do it. She doesn't live here after all."

Prussian eyes looked down, as the Asian teen stared at the floor now, ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it Hee-chan. Just go back to bed like a good boy and get some rest." He heard Heero groan behind him as he pulled out a washcloth from the closet before he turned to leave the room. Relena was waiting on the other side of the door.

"How is he?"

"Better... I think." He handed her the cloth. "He'll be out in a minute. Help him back to bed. I'm going to go clean up the stairs." Relena nodded and let him past her. He stopped in their room and grabbed his pants and shoes before tiptoeing carefully down the stair to throw the garments in the wash before they stained. Then he went under the kitchen sink and dug out the cleaning supplies he'd need for the stairs, he was just thankful that they weren't carpeted.

After a short time, as he was scrubbing the steps, he heard the light steps of Relena's shoes moving through the hallway a little heavier than normal, and the slight shuffling of Heero's bare feet along side her. He shook his head at the mental image of Heero draped over Relena's shoulder as she helped him to their room, but he couldn't be the jealous lover right now. All that matter was that someone was with Heero and that he got better. Duo would just have to make it up to him later.

It was nearly an hour later when Duo finished wiping down the stairs, spindles, his shoes, and everywhere else the vomit had splattered. His fingers were raw and sore and his shoulders ached from scrubbing so hard. After tossing out the rags he'd used to clean with he made his way up the stairs to his and Heero's room.

"So how you doin-" He stopped cold in the doorway, his voice lost in his throat as he stared at Heero's bed.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Title: A Helping Hand 17

Author: Tayjena

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Beta: No one… I need a beta reader, anyone?

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

It was nearly an hour later when Duo finished wiping down the stairs, spindles, his shoes, and everywhere else the vomit had splattered. His fingers were raw and sore and his shoulders ached from scrubbing so hard. After tossing out the rags he'd used to clean with he made his way up the stairs to his and Heero's room.

"So how you doin-" He stopped cold in the doorway, his voice lost in his throat as he stared at Heero's bed.

About ten minutes before Duo entered the room:

Heero was lying in his bed, Relena had wet the cloth and it was now lying across his forehead. He groaned softly, she was still too close and her perfume was making his head swim and his insides twist in a still uncomfortable way, but he was managing to keep himself from retching again. Rolling onto his side, the cloth slipped of his head, and he buried his face in Duo's pillow, on it he could smell faint traces of Duo's shampoo and inhaled deeply to try and rid himself of the nauseating scent of her.

"Heero," she said in a soft voice, "you shouldn't do that. You'll..." Relena was interrupted as Heero broke out into a fit of coughs. She watched as he sat up, wracked with pain, as he covered his mouth. Then the coughing subsided and he dropped back down on the bed, groaning. She stared at him for a moment and then moved up onto the bed beside him, until now she'd been sitting in his desk chair which she'd brought next to the bed. She leaned back against the head board and, taking hold of Heero with both hands, dragged him to her and moved him so his back was against her chest. A blush crossed her cheeks as she held him like that. "This should help a bit... It's better than you lying down."

He couldn't find the strength to stop her and then he was on her chest that smell all around him. Heero felt like he was going to be sick again. Struggling, he tried to sit up, to move away from her, but she persisted on holding him down.

"Heero, stop it. You'll make yourself worse."

Finally, Heero gave in, and slumped back against her. /I'll just have to wait for Duo to come in and save me.../ As he sat there, he thought about earlier when Duo had had him in almost the same position. Duo'd been behind him and he'd been lying against his chest. He'd been completely comfortable then, resting against Duo's flat, warm chest. With Relena behind him, it felt all wrong.

Firstly it was Relena that made it wrong all on its own.

Secondly were her breasts. He knew there were guys out there that would love lying on those pillows of flesh; Heero just wasn't finding himself to be one of them. He decided in those moments she held him against them, that he preferred the lean, flat chest of a man, more specifically of Duo.

"Maybe you really are gay." Solo's voice laughed in his ear.

Heero groaned when he heard it.

/Maybe so... Or maybe I just want Duo for who he is... and not what sex he is. /

"Well which ever it is, you still want a man over her."

/You're not going to lecture me about this? Her? /

"You're sick... And it can't be helped... Plus its a little funny watching you struggle and fail against a girl."

He groaned again.

/You're such an annoying brat. /

Solo laughed in his ear.

That was when Duo walked in, to find Relena in Heero's bed and his lover held firmly against her chest.

Duo's eyes widened as he stared at them. He tried to fight down the rage he felt. "Am... Am I interrupting something?" he teased but even he could hear the note of hurt in his voice.

Heero's head snapped around at the sound of Duo's voice. /Oh god... Solo... please... tell him it's not my fault.../ His hand rose to reach for Duo as he began to struggle against Relena again with the other.

"Idiot. Of course I will... I didn't bring you both this far just for your stupidity and sickness to break you up again."

Heero mentally cursed the young boy he couldn't see.

Relena saw Heero's raised hand and immediately picked up the glass of water she'd gotten earlier. "This Heero?" He shook his head and she frowned. "What is it?"

"He's sick Duo," Solo's voice calmly entered Duo's thoughts, "it's not like he wants to be there. He's just tired and weak... and stupid..."

/Yeah...Hey! I get that he's sick... Still... She's touching my Heero. And don't you insult him. /

Taking a deep breath, Duo crossed the room to the bed and took a seat in Heero's desk chair.

Heero continued to reach for him. "Duo..." He whispered softly, pushing away Relena's arms and forcing his body to move. Between his weak movements and Relena fighting to hold him back, he slipped and nearly fell off the bed.

Luckily Duo was quicker.

He leaned off the chair just in time to catch Heero and stopped him from teetering to the floor. His arms cradled him as he lifted him up and sat in the chair with him. "You need to be careful Hee-chan." He said softly, smiling sadly at him.

Heero felt himself relax almost immediately as Duo held him. Blue eyes looked up into violet, as he put his head against Duo's shoulder. He wrapped one arm behind Duo and the hand of his other, clung to his lover's shirt. Duo's arms shifted, allowing him to sit more comfortably in his lap. A small smile flittered across the Asian boy's lips.

As she watched the two of them, Relena realized they had both completely forgotten she was even in the room. She was about to say something when she noticed Heero's tiny smile.

Suddenly she felt like she was intruding on something private; as though she's just walked in on her parents. She wanted to ignore it, to tear her eyes away, but she couldn't. The way Duo held Heero so carefully, the way Heero clung to Duo so desperately, the way their eyes swirled as they looked at either other, she couldn't take it! This wasn't how boys reacted to each other. This was something else... Something she didn't want to think about; didn't want to admit.

"They're lovers." Suddenly a voice that wasn't her own spoke to her.

/No! NO! / She screamed back at it. It couldn't be. Heero wasn't that way. He couldn't be. But as she proceeded to watch them, she could feel the atmosphere growing and half expected them to kiss in front of her at any moment. Shaking her head, she tore her eyes away from them and scrambled off the bed.

"Um... I should be going..." Her voice shook as she stared at the floor, unable to watch them for another moment. "Get better soon Heero." Without waiting for a response, she quickly walked out of the room. She hurried down the stairs and to the front door, her vision slowly blurring. Her footsteps slowed once she was outside, she made it halfway to her waiting limousine before the tears overwhelmed her.

Duo smiled down at Heero. "Wonder what that was all about."

"I don't care… I'm glad. I thought she'd never leave… Her perfume was making me sick." Heero curled a little more into his boyfriend's body causing Duo to grin.

"Oh come one Hee-chan, don't tell me you didn't enjoy laying there?"

"Baka…" Heero snapped, tightening his grip on the other boy. Duo continued to grin at him, rubbing his hand over his back.

"Yours right?"

"Hn… yes."

"I couldn't help myself…" Solo whispered to Heero.

/What do you mean? /

"Well the way she was watching the two of you… refusing to acknowledge what she could obviously see… So I told her… Guess she couldn't handle it."

Heero groaned inward and out. Duo took it as put of his illness and Solo just laughed at him.

/Why did you do that? /

"Because you wouldn't."

/I will…/

A part of Heero was glad though that Solo had said something. It meant she'd left and it was just him and Duo in the room again. Besides, Relena wouldn't know there was a ghost in the room with them, or that Heero could hear it, and she would probably just brush it off as her own imagination.

Duo looked down at the boy in his arms. "We should get you back to bed."

"Yeah," Heero replied automatically. "But let's sleep in yours tonight… I'm going to have to wash the sheets on mine. They all smell like her."

Duo chuckled and Heero heard Solo laugh as well. He had the distinct feeling that boy was getting some kind of enjoyment out of his misery.

Actually…

He *knew* the spirit was enjoying it.

As Duo got up, looking at the other bed and heading toward it, cradling Heero to him, a thought occurred to him.

"Hey, you know I've been thinking… Maybe we should get one bed for us now. I mean under the circumstances. These are kinda small for two people to sleep in together comfortably." Duo glanced down to see what Heero's reaction to this suggestion was. Heero merely nodded.

"Whatever you think is best Duo."

"No." Duo said harshly as he set Heero down in the bed. "This is something that we *both* have to agree on. It is about both of us. Now do you want to get a bigger bed, or keep sleeping on these tiny ones?"

"No, you're right. We should get a bigger bed in here."

"Of course I'm right!" Duo announced cheerfully. He was just about to sit down on the bed with Heero, when he remembered something else. "When you were trying to go downstairs before, did you need something?" The cheerfulness was suddenly replaced with overwhelming concern.

"I was going to tell you I wanted to eat something again, but now…"

"OH!" Duo smiled and turned from the bed. "I'll go get you something then." He was starting to walk away when something grabbed his braid and pulled him back.

"Ow!"

"No I don't want anything now. Just come to bed."

Duo grinned, not needing anymore convincing from Heero to go to bed after that. Once again he moved Heero and shifted the pillows before sitting down behind. Heero immediately curled up against him.

"You know… I hate to admit it, but she did have the right idea. This is the best way for you to lie when you're sick."

"Even so, I'd rather have you here than her." Heero whispered drowsily.

Duo beamed down at his now semi-conscious boyfriend. He tugged Heero a little higher onto his chest. "That's the sweetest thing I think you've said to me."

"Hn."

"Yea. I love you too." Duo nuzzled his nose against dark hair. "Get some sleep." He felt Heero nod in response and shifted just slightly. It would be uncomfortable for him to sleep like this, but he'd bear it for tonight. For Heero's sake he'd deal with just about anything.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Title: A Helping Hand 18

Author: Tayjena

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Beta: Chibmina

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero woke up several hours later to the sun just starting to peek in through the binds. Slowly he took a deep breath and was relieved to find that his lungs no longer ached. There was still a slight wheezing sound when he exhaled, but over all he was beginning to feel better.

He felt warm, really warm. Shifting a bit, he felt Duo's arms tighten around him and glanced up to see Duo still asleep sitting against the headboard. Carefully, to not awake the sleeping boy, he moved out of the protective hold. Duo sighed, but didn't wake up and Heero gently touched his cheek.

/He must be really uncomfortable… / He thought to himself, staring at Duo, whose head was down, chin against his chest.

"He stayed like that all night for your sake." Came, the familiar voice of Solo, though it was faint, softer than before as if the apparition was far away.

/Solo? You alright? /

"Yeah. Like I told you before it's hard to be around during the day. Not impossible… just harder."

/So why are you here then?" / Heero asked as he climbed out of bed.

"I'm always with Duo. I can't leave him…. Yet, I just keep quiet during the day."

/So then, why today? /

"I need to know what you're going to do now. Now that girl knows."

/That's because you told her. /

"Not completely. She could see it with the way you two were looking at each other. Even I could see how much you two…" Solo stopped as if trying to choose his word with caution. "Care for each other."

Heero didn't answer. Instead he sat on the bed, and pulled Duo from the headboard. Gently he eased the shirt the other boy was wearing off then laid him down on the bed. Then he moved to take off his pants and Duo gave a small whimper while Solo's voice grew strong with anger.

"What the hell are you doing?"

/Someone your age shouldn't talk like that. / Heero heard a soft noise and sighed. /I'm not going to do anything inappropriate to him, so relax, I'm just going to make him a little more comfortable so he can sleep. /

Heero worked the pants off his sleeping lover and dropped them onto the floor then drew the blankets up around him.

/See? /

"Yeah. Sorry. I just…."

/You're protective of him, I understand. I am too. /

"Yeah." Solo's voice had returned to normal, although distant again. "So what are you going to do about that girl?"

/Relena? I'll give her a few days and then go see her and talk things over with her. /

"Are you going to tell her about Duo?"

/That I love him?" / Heero thought he heard a sigh of surprise at his thoughts. And quite honestly he was surprised he'd thought it himself.

"Well… yea?"

Blue eyes fell on the form on the bed. Thoughts and emotions came over him and he was quiet for awhile.

"No." He didn't hear anything and so added, /I don't want to hurt her like that. But before you get all mad, I *am* going to tell her that Duo and I are seeing each other. /

"And that's not going to hurt her?"

/It will, but not as much as flat out telling her I love someone else… I hope anyway. /

"And what about Duo? Are you going to tell him?"

"Of course." Heero answered out loud again.

"R-really?" Solo's voice became stronger again, this time filled with joy.

/Yes, but on my terms Solo, not yours. /

"Right, right." Some of the excitement had left Solo's voice, but he still sounded rather pleased. "So what made you realize it?"

/Does it really matter? I thought it was just enough for you if I did. /

"Yeah… "

Heero sighed. /You love him too, I mean really love him don't you? /

Solo was silent for a long time and Heero thought he could see a small, bluish, transparent figure sitting on the bed beside Duo. "Yeah… But I could have never been what he wanted. I'm just glad I've been able to keep my promise."

Heero felt a little bad for the kid he could only hear and image he was seeing. /I'm sure you would have been good for him too. / Heero felt a strange twinge of pain as he thought that; as though just the thought of Duo with someone else hurt him. He'd have never thought he would feel something like that.

Solo chuckled. "That's something I never thought I'd hear you say. And even if it had worked out that way, I don't think I would have stood much of a chance if he'd met you."

/I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit./

"It's nothing like that." Solo sighed, "I just know Duo. I know him, probably, even better than he knows himself. And sure I might have been able to keep him happy for a while, but if he'd still met you, under different circumstances, I know that he still would have preferred you to me.

"Sure, I could have been everything he wanted, accepted him, and loved him just like he wants in a lover, but it wouldn't have been enough. I just know there's something about you that he'd be attracted to no matter what the circumstances were. And I would have stepped aside, and still helped him to win you."

Heero went over to his bed, and began stripping off the sheets and pillowcases, a slight feeling of nauseous coming over him.

/I don't know if I could do something like that… Not now. I don't know if I could give him up to someone else now. /

"It's all right Heero, no one expects you to."

Duo groaned and stretched out over the cold bed as he woke up.

Wait. Cold?

He opened his eyes and looked around the room. Violet eyes first went to the desk were the laptop sat. It was still closed and the seat in front of it was empty. Next the glanced over at the other single bed in the room. It had been completely stripped.

"Well that makes sense… he said something about washing them."

He pushed the blankets off himself, and a bit surprised was he, when he found he was lying there in just his boxers. The last thing he remembered was falling asleep fully clothed, sitting up with Heero against his chest.

"What the hell…?" He said into the empty room, not really expecting an answer.

One came anyway.

"Heero thought you'd be more comfortable that way."

Duo laughed a bit. "And you let him take my clothes off me?" He teased Solo.

"I didn't let him… But it's not like I could really stop him in my condition. He didn't do anything wrong though…"

"Of course he didn't." Duo smiled. "Sometimes you worry too much."

"I love you Duo, I have to worry."

"Yeah I know. I love ya, too, Solo."

Wufei stood outside Duo's door. He stared at it, sighing heavily. He wouldn't have even dared to be there if he knew Heero was in it as well. But he'd seen Heero leave earlier, so he knew he could spare a few minutes to sit there and think of the person on the other side of the wood door, just out of reach.

Not that he stood any chance now that Heero had accepted Duo's feelings.

Still he found it a bit odd, that he could hear Duo talking. He was suppose to be alone in that room, so who was he talking to?

Wufei moved closer to the door, pressing his ear to it to listen. Duo had always been a little strange, he knew that, but in all the time he'd spent watching the braided pilot, Wufei had never known him to talk to himself.

He didn't hear anyone else, except Duo, but it certainly sounded like he was carrying on a conversation. Maybe Duo only did this in private, so no one thought he was crazy.

"He does huh…. I can't wait to hear what it is then." Duo's voice came clearly through the wood, and Wufei pressed harder against the door to listen for anyone else, but only Duo's voice answered. "No, Solo. I won't push him to say anything he's not ready for."

/Solo? /

Wufei asked himself.

Who was Solo?

Hearing footsteps behind the door, he moved away from it and quickly headed down the stairs at the end of the hallway. The sound of the door opening reached him just as he made it to the bottom of the stairs. Taking a deep breath, he turned and went into the kitchen.

The sound of bare feet heading down the stairs reached him as he made himself look busy. He turned his back to the entrance way, so he could compose himself before facing Duo.

"Hey Feifei." Duo's voice came from behind him, saying that nickname he didn't hate as much as he pretended to.

"I told you NOT to call me that." Wufei retorted, spinning around to glare at the other pilot.

As soon as he did, though, he wished he hadn't.

Duo stood there, his hair neatly braided as always, completely shirtless, in just a pair of jeans. And Wufei couldn't help himself from noticing that said jeans were unzipped.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried not to stare.

"Yeah yea." Duo said as he moved about the kitchen apparently making himself some breakfast. "You wouldn't happen to know where Heero went would you."

/Right away with him… / Wufei sighed inwardly.

"I saw him leave but he didn't say where he was going, and I didn't ask."

"Okay…" replied Duo slowly. Then he mumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'stupid idiot going out when he's still sick'.

Wufei watched him out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help himself. Ever since Duo and Heero had become a couple, he'd tried hard to avoid looking at Duo, just because it seemed Heero might be on to his feelings for the braided pilot, but right now – since Heero was gone – he couldn't stop himself.

Duo's lack of decency today didn't help.

"So Heero's sick?"

"Yea. Well he was the last couple days… He could be feeling better today. But that idiot should still be taking it easy otherwise he's going to make himself worse again."

"I'm sure he's fine. A doubt a little cold could stop him."

"He's human too you know."

Wufei rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but he's still not like most people."

"That's for sure." Duo mused remembering back when he'd first met Heero.

Wufei was sure that Duo was saying something. Something about Heero, shooting him, a parachute being opened to late, a leg being reset. All sorts of things.

He'd heard the story before.

But right now he couldn't concentrate on what Duo was saying. He was completely distracted by the way the other's body moved while he prepared his breakfast.

He didn't know how long he stared at Duo, but it must have been too long; because Duo was now facing him, watching him with an odd expression on his face.

Wufei blinked a few times and shook his head before turning to leave the room. His mind raced to come up with an explanation of what had just happened.

Before he could think up a reason for being caught staring or even manage to get out of the room and away from the object of his obsession, Duo's voice reached him.

"What do you mean 'why him?'"

/Shit… / Not only had he been spaced out and staring, he'd also asked the one question that had been on his mind for months out loud to the person he'd tried to avoid.

Wufei glared over his shoulder. "What are you talking about Maxwell?" There was anger in his voice. But it wasn't directed at Duo. Wufei was angry with himself for being so stupid.

"I don't know. You tell me. All I did was say Heero's name and you asked me why him? Why him? What…?" Duo spat back, nearly as angry as Wufei was, crossing his arms over his chest and stared at the side of Wufei's face that was turned to him.

Wufei looked ahead of himself once again. "Don't worry about it. It's not important." He took a step forward, trying to escape the confrontation.

Duo followed him. "Not important? You've got some problem with my boyfriend and you dare tell me it's not important? What the hell is it Wufei!"

Wufei's hands clenched into tight fists, and before he knew what he was doing, he'd spun around and yelled, "Because he has you! You chose him, not me!"

It took several moments for him to realize he'd lost the control he'd worked so hard to maintain. And even longer to notice that shock had replaced the anger on Duo's face and his arms had dropped to his side helplessly. He took a step back and closed his eyes shaking his head.

"Just forget about it." Wufei turned away from him again.

"Wufei… I'm sorry."

Wufei could have sworn he heard an echo as Duo apologized but he brushed it off to his lack of control in the current situation.

"I said forget about it."

Duo moved closer to him. "Wufei, I had no idea."

"How could you? You were too focused on getting attention from Heero."

"Hey! That's not fair. You never made any attempt to let me know."

"It's not important anyway. You've got who you want. Just let it go Duo." Wufei started to walk away again, a bit fast than before.

But Duo refused to let it go. He ran up behind Wufei and grabbed his arm and spun him back around to face him. As soon as he started to turn around, Wufei decide to throw caution to the wind, this was going to be his only chance, and when he was facing Duo, he stepped into him, caught his chin with one hand and then pressed his lips against Duo's slightly parted ones in a chaste kiss.

There was a loud thud and then:

"I thought I told you, Duo is mine."

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

Title: A Helping Hand 19

Author: Tayjena

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Beta: Chibimina

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Note:

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

There was a loud thud and then:

"I thought I told you, Duo is mine."

Solo looked over from where he stood invisible next to Duo, to see Heero standing in front of the open front door, a bottle of laundry soap lie on it's side at his feet along with a now scattered bag of other miscellaneous groceries. He started to reach out to Heero's conscious to tell him that the scene he'd just walked on in wasn't Duo's fault, well at least not all Duo's fault, even he couldn't deny Duo's partial blame. Duo had been the one to grab Wufei, therefore putting himself in the curtain situation.

Then he changed his mind, and withdrew his own conscious back to himself. Heero didn't seem to be angry with Duo, his intense glare focused on Wufei as the Chinese boy stepped away from Duo.

He decided instead to see how Heero and Duo would work this one out themselves, after all, he might not always be around to coach them through everything, and even he knew, that if they were going to form a working relationship, they'd need to learn to how to figure out certain things out on their own, without his influence or - as he was sure Heero was concerned - his interference.

So he stayed quiet and watched as Heero marched over to them, leaving the door wide open behind him. His eyes followed the Asian as he placed himself between Wufei and Duo, turning to eye the offending Chinese man.

Wufei stared defiantly back at Heero. But just as he'd known that Wufei was in love with Duo, Solo also knew that as he stood face to face with Heero, Wufei was internally kicking himself for losing his control and for giving into his feelings.

He didn't know how long the two of them stood there, staring each other down, the concept of time had been lost to him long ago. He did know that it was long enough that he, once again, thought about communicating with Heero.

Then he saw movement out of the corner of his eyes. His eyes shifted left and downward to see Duo's hand stretch out and grab Heero's wrist.

"Heero. Don't." Duo ordered calmly, though Solo could sense he was still a bit shaken over what had happened as well as angry though he couldn't figure out why.

Turning back to the two Asians, even being dead, Solo could feel the tension between them as their eyes held contact a moment longer until Heero faced Duo.

"I'm sorry Wufei…" Solo whispered. "This is what Duo wanted…."

Black eyes flickered around the room searching for the source of his voice. Then they moved back to Heero.  
>!-[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-<br>!-[endif]-

"It won't happen again."

Without another word to either of them, he spun on the spot and proceeded out the still open door, closing it softly as he left.

Solo remained where he was, now watching his best friend and his boyfriend, and noticing that there was still tension in the air.

"When were you going to tell me you knew Wufei felt that way?" Duo demanded, now glaring at Heero.

"I didn't. It was just a hunch."

"Bullshit! Then what was that about telling him that I was yours?"

Heero hesitated for a moment as he thought of what to say. He couldn't tell Duo that Solo had told him without explaining a lot more.

"I just had a feeling and warned him, that's all."

Continuing to watch, Solo didn't know how much longer he could remain quiet. In anticipation of Duo's response, his hands clenched at his sides.

Duo continued to glower at Heero, and then slowly let out a long breath. "You could have told me. Then I wouldn't have been caught off guard like that."

Then tension dropped from Heero's shoulders and he sighed as well. "I'm sorry."

Duo waved him off with a gesture of his hand. "Guess now I know how you felt all that time, not knowing how I felt about you…"

Now it was Solo's turn to let out his own sigh of relief. It seemed this had gone better than he'd thought it would have. Still he was pleased that he hadn't intervened and let the two of them handle this small spat on their own.

He took a step back, not wanting to give either of them a chill if they brushed against them while moving. He followed them at a distance as they went over to the spilt groceries.

"Guess this explains where you went." Duo said, smiling at Heero, as he bent down to gather up a few scattered cans.

"Guess it does." Heero knelt down beside him, picking up a few items as well.

"You could have left a note or something."

Heero smirked. "I thought I'd have enough time before you woke up."

Duo shrugged. "A cold bed wasn't how I expected to wake up." He reached out for the handle of the laundry soap bottle. "But thanks for laying me down… I think I got a crick in my neck from sleeping sitting up."

"You could have moved me."

"Nah, it's ok. It was nice to hold you like that." His eyelids lowered over purple eyes, just above his slightly darkening cheeks. "Still um…" Duo cleared his through as he stood up. "Even if you're feeling better you should take it easy… You don't want to get sick again."

"Yeah…" Heero breathed out as he looked up at him, his eyes, Solo noticed, darkened just slightly as he fully took in Duo's appearance. Solo was close enough to read the emotions he found in the deep blue eyes, as they first moved up covered legs, hovered at a downed zipper and open button, that revealed a red elastic waistband of the boxers worn underneath them. Duo's constant watching of Heero meant that he had always watched the boy too and he could see the love in the eyes he stared at as well as the lust that was just barely readable as they moved further up to an exposed navel, then over a bare chest.

Solo couldn't help but feel a little angry, and jealous, at Heero. If he were able he would have loved to look at Duo like that, and not only look at him, but be able to do something about it. Of course he was glad that his friend was finally getting the attention he wanted from his boyfriend, but at the same time, he loathed Heero for being able to give it to him.

Glancing around them, he saw a tube of toothpaste still lying on the floor, forgotten by the two pilots. He moved around Heero to it and focused everything he was feeling, and all the energy he could muster, and swung his foot at it.

The tube launched from the floor and hit Heero in the back, causing him to jerk and finally look away from Duo to see what had hit him.

Heero glanced back, and his brow furrowed. He picked up the tube and stared at it. Obviously it hadn't thrown itself at him without help, but he didn't feel like yelling at Solo right now. Swallowing hard, he looked back at Duo, this time making sure to find his eyes without checking over the rest of him.

"You know, with you looking like that, it's no wonder Wufei lost control of himself. Seeing you like that I would have had to kiss you too."

Duo blinked in confusion, then, peered down at himself, and laughed and then lowered himself back to Heero's level.

Solo groaned to himself when he saw the same lewd look in his friend's eyes. They were trying to torture him, he just knew it.

"Then why don't you?" He smirked.

Heero leaned across the distance between them and pressed his lips against Duo's. Duo dropped the armful he held and instantly filled his arms with Heero, who also freed his arms of items and put them around Duo.

Solo rubbed his hands over his face as they wound themselves around each other and deepened the kiss. He didn't think he had enough energy left to throw something at the both of them, but he tried anyway. Concentrating, he pulled his foot back and swung it out, only to have it phase though the can he'd tried to kick.

Cursing his astral form, Solo glanced around for another means to separate the two.

Once his eyes fell on the blonde on the stairs, watching them, too nervous to move for fear of interrupting them, he had it.

Looking back on the two on the floor, he stretched out his conscious to both of them, and uttered a soft "Um." It was just loud enough to get their attentions and break them apart but soft enough not to be known that it was him.

Duo found Quatre first and slipped off Heero lap, carefully standing with his back to him to hide his hand as he zipped and buttoned his pants.

"Hey Kat." He grinned sheepishly.

Quatre nodded and finally took a few, still hesitant, steps down the stairs. "Hi. Thanks for doing the shopping Heero."

"No problem." Heero glanced at Duo in a way that suggested they'd finish this later, before gathering up the groceries once more.

"So how's Trowa?"

Solo felt Heero kick himself as Quatre's face paled slightly and he stood up beside Duo. He got close enough to Duo to whisper, "Trowa left last night."

"Oh…" Duo breathed out, looking back at Quatre. "Sorry."

"It's ok Duo. I'll be heading out soon too. We still have work to do. You two can stay here as long as you want, though, but…."

"We have work to do too." Duo finished, eyes shifting over Heero once more.

TBC

Tayjena


	20. Chapter 20

Title: A Helping Hand 20

Author: Tayjena

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5x?, R+1

Warnings: TWT, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language

Archived: Please feel free.

Beta: Chibimina

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Note: Sorry for the delay in this chapter to all of you reading this, but this was a difficult chapter to write. Difficult because though I always knew this story would eventually tie in to the series, but had never really thought about how I would do so. I figured I'd cross that bridge when I got to it. Well… I got to it at the end of the last chapter, and finally had to decide when this series of events happened. I knew exactly which moment I wanted to use to bring it all together, but still had to figure out how to bring it all together comprehensively. It wasn't easy, and I'm not completely sure I succeeded. It's not perfect, but I hope it's understandable at least. It is what it is…

/.../ ~thoughts

*...*~ bold

Heero leaned back against the cold wall of the cell he shared with Wufei on Lunar base. The two of them hadn't spoken a word to each other in the entire time they'd been there. And Heero had no clue how long that had been, but he still wasn't going to say anything to the other pilot.

Instead he closed his eyes and images of Duo swam behind his eyelids. He had no idea how long it had been since he'd rescued his boyfriend from Barge, even though rescuing him hadn't been his intentions to start with. At that moment, Duo had become a liability, in more ways than one. He'd thought going into that situation, that he could push aside his feelings and do what needed to be done, and Duo had seemed to agree with that decision, if only for a moment. But then Duo had opened his eyes and exclaimed his bewilderment at Heero's intent to kill him, and when Heero had seen those eyes, eyes that had on several occasions by that point looked at him with so much love, he couldn't do it. And so they'd made their escape on the spur of the moment.

But even after that, there hadn't been much time for them. They both had known that there was still more to do. And with the scientists having been arrested, Heero had left shortly after that to dispose of them.

Which, he'd obviously failed at, since he was sitting where he was now, thanks to Trowa. In the end he didn't think it would matter all that much now anyway.

The images in his head took him back to further than the events at Barge, back to after his fight with Zechs in Antarctica. It was after that fight that Trowa had taken them to the safe house Quatre had established and offered to all of them while they waited for their next missions, or any sign of what they should do next. Duo had practically latched himself to him for those first few hours, having all this time still thought Heero was dead after his self destruction back in Siberia. Trowa had apparently not told anyone that he'd nursed him back to health or what they'd done afterwards.

It was in that time there that Quatre and Trowa's relationship quickly developed into lovers. And then his relationship with Duo had, more slowly, started to form. Wufei only stopped at the house every so often and not for long periods of time, while the others mostly stayed there, doing what little they could.

It was also while there that he'd encountered the ghost of Duo's friend, Solo. And it was that ghost that had helped his and Duo's relationship grow.

Solo hadn't been happy with him when he'd left Duo right before the five of them returned to space. He'd spent every moment that he was around yelling at Heero for leaving Duo despite Heero's protests that it had been the right thing to do. There were also arguments between them that he still hadn't done the two things he was going to do; tell Relena about him and Duo, and tell Duo that he loved him.

Not to mention how the ghost had reacted when Heero had gone to Barge planning to 'silence' the self proclaimed shinigami.

Heero forced himself to remember that last night he'd spent with Duo on Earth:

*flashback*

It was just after they'd discovered Quatre on the stairs while they'd been in a heated intimate moment, which would have only gone further, had the blonde not interrupted.

Duo had stayed downstairs to talk with Quatre while Heero had gone up to their room to begin planning what he would do. He knew that OZ had begun to move in on the colonies and he was sure the others had figured out, or at least they would soon, and if that was so, they would no longer target the colonies, meaning they were free to continue their assault on OZ. He'd been thinking about this all before, since he'd found out that Trowa had left; the acrobat was probably going on his own plans and hadn't wanted a tearful good-bye with Quatre.

His own relationship with Duo wasn't stable enough that he could have just left in the night and assumed everything be fine the next time they saw each other.

So he'd thought about it the entire time he'd been out shopping. How to bring it up with Duo and what exactly the two of them should do.

Of course, he'd gotten a little distracted when he'd gotten to the house with seeing Wufei kissing Duo and then Duo's completely indecent appearance, and momentarily forgotten about it.

But now it was once more in the forefront of his mind, and he packed his belongings, all the while still trying to decide what to say to Duo.

His thoughts were broken some time later when he heard Duo behind him.

"Quat's planning for tomorrow night to leave. Says we can go with him if…" Duo stopped short seeing Heero packing. "Guess that's not going to work for you huh?"

"No. I've got my own ideas. But you… you should stay and go with Quatre."

"Hey wait a minute, you're not…"

"I just think Quatre's going to need someone with him since Trowa's gone and you're closer to him than I am."

"Yeah… but… we could all go together… You and I are closer tha…"

"And that's why I'm going alone." Heero interrupted. "If I'm around you… after all this…

I'll be distracted."

"In other words you'd be worried about me. Won't that happen even if I'm not around you? Heero come on. I know I'll worry about you even if you're not right there next to me. I have every other time."

"This way I don't have to see it. It's easier to push aside and concentrate if I'm not watching you get shot at."

Duo laughed bitterly. "So that's how it is. You're just going to push aside everything that we've been through up to now, so you can focus on a battle. I see how I rate."

Heero spun around to face his lover. "Duo, don't take it like that. You're right that I'll still worry about you. But if we're together, I might do something I wouldn't normally do to protect you and risk all of our lives. Don't you understand that?"

"Yeah… I get it…. And you're probably right... It's one thing to know you're being shot at; it's a totally different thing to see it happen… I've been there before." Duo glanced up as Heero crossed the room to put his arms around him, a dark expression on his face. "Just don't go blowing yourself up again. You've got me now. And I won't be so forgiving of you breaking my heart a second time."

"Yeah… I know."

Duo laid his head against Heero's shoulder. "Hey… you think… maybe… for right now… We can pretend that we know when we'll see each other again… That tomorrow is just another day?"

Heero was quiet as his fingers fisted around a portion of Duo's braid. Ignore that the next day, they'd go back to fighting a war, and just be happy in this last moment he had with Duo before it happened, could he allow himself to do that?

"Who knows when we'll have the chance again right? Everything could get really crazy after tomorrow…" Duo said softly sensing Heero's hesitation.

"Just tell him yes. Is it that hard to think about Duo more than war for just a little longer?"

Solo interjected.

"Sure Duo."

Duo smiled and pulled away. "Great. I'll get Quatre. We should make some dinner and maybe watch a movie or something…. To keep him company for awhile."

"Okay."

So they'd spent some time keeping Quatre company. The three of them prepared and ate dinner together. Duo did his best to keep up the conversation and Quatre's mood lifted a bit throughout the night.

Then later, they'd settled down in the living and watched a comedy to help keep their minds off the coming days. Heero hadn't really paid it much attention, lying on the couch, his head in Duo's lap and his eyes closed through most of the film. He'd only moved, at Duo's insistence, when the brunette had gotten up to put a blanket over Quatre, who had fallen asleep in the chair.

Duo then finished watching the movie, with Heero once more lying in his lap. When it was over, fingertips brushed over Heero's brow. Cool blue eyes slowly opened.

"Let's go upstairs."

Heero got up from the couch, allowing Duo to as well, and after turning everything off, the two of them headed upstairs. They entered their room and Heero heard a soft click of the door locking, he glanced over his shoulder to look at his boyfriend.

His bewilderment must have showed on his face, because Duo grinned and shrugged his shoulders at him. "Just in case, this may be the last time we see each other… I don't want anything to interrupt us."

Heero only nodded and proceed to change for bed, when he turned to Duo again, his eyes widened.

It wasn't that he hadn't seen Duo with his hair down before then, after all he'd washed it for Duo and had braided it now almost every morning and evening, but there was something about it this time that made Heero stop and stare. Maybe it was the way the light from outside, streaming in through the window, or maybe it was heightened emotions from earlier taking over again.

Heero didn't know.

All he knew was Duo looked beautiful. More beautiful than the Earth, had looked on his descent from the colony.

/Beautiful. / He thought, it was the only word he could think to describe it.

Duo then crossed the room before Heero had even registered he'd moved.

Then warm, slightly chapped lips touched his, and they were both sinking down to the nearest bed.

And then…

*end*

Heero shook his head violently in his shared cell, probably getting a strange look from Wufei but he didn't look up to confirm this.

He refused to let himself think about what had transpired once they were on the bed. He couldn't afford the reaction it would cause, especially not here.

Just thinking about the way Duo had looked that night was making his emotions swirl, he couldn't let them get out of control.

He needed a distraction, something to keep him from following the trail of his thoughts.

It came in the form of loud ruckus from beyond the cell walls.

Straining his ears a bit, he could hear voices, and the faintest sound of gunfire. There were more voices, some barking orders, some panicking to follow them; the sound of footsteps, running through the base.

After only what seemed like a moment, everything beyond the walls went quiet again.

It took Heero only that long to figure out what had happened.

One of the others had come to Lunar Base as well.

His heart pounded hard in his chest as the thought dawned on him. Trowa was already there, hiding in the ranks of OZ.

/It could be Quatre…/ He told himself, but the pounding in his chest contradicted that thought. Then as if to add confirmation to what his heart was telling him, he heard:

"Think again."

It was the first time Solo hadn't yelled at him since he'd left Earth.

Heero felt his still hammering heart, drop into his stomach.

Duo would have known the risk base and the scientists' capture would have caused, just as he had when he'd tried to destroy the Mercurius and assassinate them with the half completed Vayeate, only to be stopped by Trowa pointing a gun in his face, so it made sense that he would come there as well to attempted the same thing.

Part of him wished Duo would succeed where he'd failed, but the other part of him, the part that acknowledged he loved Duo, wished he would save himself and just get out of there.

"Wrong again." The small voice told him icily, apparently Solo *was* still angry with him.

Heero saw what he meant a moment later. The heavy door was opened and for a moment he was blinded by the glaring white lights. Then a figure was pushed into the room, only to fall face first to the floor seconds afterward.

"Botched your mission?" Heero spoke before he'd even thought about what he was saying, some part of his brain had taking over his mouth while the rest of it wrestled with his heart. "You couldn't destroy the base and you didn't kill Dr. J and the others."

"Don't rub it in." Duo said from the floor, eyes closed. He couldn't express what hearing Heero's voice did to him, even it was cold and reminding him of how he'd just failed. It was just nice to hear it again, despite Heero returning to his solider mode. "I'm still glad I decided to come here. Good news." He opened his eyes to find Wufei, whose eyes were just as cold as Heero's voice had been. "Your Gundam and mine are being rebuilt. I can hardly wait!" He said with a smile in his voice as his eyelids fell over his eyes once more.

"Looks like OZ will being keeping us alive for the time." Heero's mouth continued without confirmation from the rest of him as he struggled to fight the urge to pick Duo up from the floor. "It's a good chance, so don't die yet."

"Don't worry about me!" Duo answered with excitement in his voice as he had peeked open one eye. "I don't plan on dying that easily. There are the colonies to fight for."

"Just watch." Once more his eyes dropped closed as exhaustion hit him, but still his voice carried his cheerfulness into his next sentence, before it trailed off. "I'll be the God of Death again. I will. Well… good night..." (1)

And with that the cellmates went silent.

1. Taken from Gundam Wing Episode 23, "Duo, the God of Death Once Again"

TBC


	21. Chapter 21

I hope you had fun with Cathy. And I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. *hugs*

Bet you didn't think I'd need you again so soon? Take your time, I'm in no hurry for this back.

Title: A Helping Hand 21

Author: Tayjena

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5+2, R+1

Warnings: Spoilers, TWT, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language, lime

Archived: Please feel free.

Beta: Chibimina

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Duo blinked as Heero stared at him, wide-eyed and mouth hanging open as though he were about to say something.

It was the night before they – Quatre, Duo, and Heero – were planning to leave Earth for space.

Heero had agreed that for tonight, they'd pretend that tomorrow was just another day. That they'd be spending it together, just as they had nearly every day up to now.

Duo and Heero had just come upstairs to their room; Quatre was asleep in a chair down in the living room. Duo had locked the door insuring that their last moments together wouldn't be interrupted. Then he'd let down his hair. He wasn't sure when he'd did it why he was doing it. But when he found Heero staring at him that way, he knew that was the reason.

To have Heero staring at him at a complete lost.

/He thinks you're beautiful. / the soft, calm voice of his deceased best friend echoed in his mind.

/Oh yeah? / Duo grinned to himself. There's been a time when he'd doubted Heero would have thought anything was beautiful, let alone him.

/He's afraid to say it to you though. Thinks you might get offended. /

/Nah, I wouldn't… But how do you know that anyway? / Duo asked the voice.

Solo, Duo's invisible but ever constant companion, was silent. Duo had no clue that Solo had been communicating with Heero the past months or that he played any role in their blossoming relationship.

/Well, you've been watching that taciturn guy since you met him, it means I have too. And I've just been able to pick up on things like that. / Solo commented nonchalantly.

Duo smiled a bit to himself again. Maybe being dead gave Solo a different perspective of things. /I guess. /

This conversation in his head, took only a few brief moments and then Duo was crossing the room to the still dazed Japanese pilot.

He caught the still agape lips with his own.

The shock of the kiss broke Heero's daze and his arms folded around the body against his, as simultaneously the arms of the other boy closed around him.

Neither one would ever know which one of them moved first, but soon they were lowering each other down onto the nearest bed.

And then…

Then they were lying on it, lips still connected, as searching fingers quested over clothed forms. They drifted up arms, over shoulders, onto chests, slowly moving lower as they explored each other.

The soft touches gradually grew in urgency; desperate to find flesh.

Soon that need was met, as piece after piece of hindering fabric was removed, until no barriers remained between the two boys. They pressed closer to each other, flesh meeting flesh, sending electricity through the both of them.

Caressing hands, traced the body each held to memory, before the need for more caused them to grip tighter. Lips had trailed to necks and shoulders, leaving teeth marks as they bit, forming bruises as they sucked.

Moments later, heavy panting filled the room. The bed squeaked with their movements, headboard rocking against the wall. Fingers laced through each other in painfully tight holds. The others name tumbling from their lips.

Then bliss washed over the two of them and they were crumpling together on the bed. The sheets tangled around them, but neither noticed nor cared. They laid together, limbs so entangled together, they couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.

They didn't speak for fear of breaking the sense of eternity they both felt. Gentle fingers resumed their previous touches.

Slowly, sleep overtook the lovers.

Morning dawned as it did every day, and when Duo opened his eyes, the feeling from last night, that that moment would last forever, faded. His eyes found Heero, packing the last of his things in preparation.

"You weren't going to leave without saying good-bye were you?" He asked softly.

"Of course not, koibito." Heero answered just as softly. He sat down on the side of the bed, and Duo was able to take in his full appearance.

His skin shone as though it was still wet, and bits of hair still clung damply to the sides of his face. He was fresh out of the shower.

And it seemed, briefly, that he wanted to say something.

Then the silence stretching out between them became too much for Duo. "Just don't…"

Heero interrupted him, "I won't."

"Be careful."

"You too…" There was that look again. Like Heero wanted to say something more, his mouth even moved to open, before snapping shut again.

"I love you."

"I know Duo." Heero leaned across the bed and kissed him, a light bittersweet kiss of goodbye. "Me too…" He whispered against his lips. Then he was off the bed, bag over his shoulder and out the door.

/Me too? / Duo's mind repeated over and over. At first he couldn't make sense of the two words but as the bedroom door shut, comprehension hit him.

"Shit!" He scrambled up from the bed and chased Heero down the stairs, completely forgetting that he was naked, but he was too late.

By the time he'd gotten to the front door, Heero was gone.

Duo had stared out that door, naked, for a long while, wondering how Heero had vanished so quickly.

He wouldn't see his lover again until his capture on Barge, when Heero had a gun pointed in his face. Duo had known his capture would be a liability, especially to Heero and was actually glad he'd come to 'silence' him. At least he'd been able to see him once more.

Then Heero acted like he was seriously going to pull the trigger!

Duo's eyes flew open then.

After a brief exchange, he was tossed a gun and they were making their escape.

Later, at Heero's insistence, he'd attended school at on a colony. That had been a miserable experience. Everyone stared at him. He knew they thought he looked familiar but couldn't seem to place where they'd seen him. Not only that, but Heero had registered at the school using HIS name, and they all stared because he wasn't the Duo they'd first met.

And then everything had gone to hell.

He'd been walking through the streets one night and then on the big screen over the street was Deathscythe.

He couldn't stop himself. He walked into the street, staring up at it, talking to himself, to Deathscythe.

Then he was screaming.

People around him stared, wondering why there was someone screaming in agony over the destruction of one of the Gundams.

It was some time later he'd learned of OZ manufacturing mobile suits on Lunar Base. He had to do something about that. It had taken awhile to figure out how he was going to get on the base, but then a girl named Hilde Schbeiker offered some information he couldn't pass up.

Of course, she ultimately screwed up his plan by exposing him, and he'd had to do everything on the fly instead. 

In the end, none of it mattered. He'd made it to the base with that girl's help and then stumbled onto the reconstruction of his and Wufei's Gundams and to make sure they, and the scientists working on them, weren't discovered, Duo had allowed himself to be beaten by one of the Gundam creators - Wufei's he guessed – and handed over to OZ officers.

Even that hadn't turned out so bad.

He was thrown into a cell with Wufei and Heero…

Heero who acted like the last words he'd said to Duo didn't mean what Duo had come to think they had. But he could understand that, showing affection to him in that place probably wouldn't be the best of ideas. So he didn't think about, and tried to conceal the heartache it caused, by revealing his excitement to them about the new Gundams being developed for him and Wufei.

Then everything went black for him.

Wufei had barely regarded Duo since he'd been shoved into their cell, only looking at him when he mentioned that his Gundam was being rebuilt. But as the time from when Duo had last spoken stretched on further and further away, his nails dug into the flesh of his crossed arms.

He couldn't fathom how Heero could just sit there, acting like he didn't care.

Didn't it pain Heero, like it did him to see Duo just laying there? Didn't he also want to go over and pick him up from the floor?

Wufei, of course, knew better than to try it.

Mostly because of Heero; because, he knew, - somewhere inside him he knew - Heero *did* care and it hurt him just as much.

And because he could understand why Heero hadn't; he didn't want them to know Duo was his weakness. They'd use that against him, if they ever found out.

Heero fought within himself for a long time. Two voices in his head telling him what to do; voices so loud they drowned out the voice of Solo begging him once again to take care of Duo. One told him not to move, not to go to Duo. The other pleaded that Duo needed him.

Wufei had also been careful to avoid looking at Heero. Not just now that Duo was there, but the whole time they'd been in the cell together.

But a movement from the other boy made him look at him. The hand shot forward jerkily, as though something were trying to hold it back.

Then something seemed to snap in Heero's eyes and he was moving toward the figure still unconscious on the floor.

/Or maybe his heart just won over…/ Wufei told himself, still cautiously watching.

Heero sat beside Duo, not touching him, trying to decide how to quiet both parts of him. He couldn't let them find out how much Duo meant to him. But he couldn't do nothing anymore.

Carefully he moved Duo just enough to lay his head on his thigh. He stared down at him as the warring in his mind quieted and finally silenced. A couple fingers stretched out and touched the rope of hair, and idly twisted it between them.

"Wufei…" Heero spoke lowly, his eyes searching for Wufei in the dim lighting. "I need to ask you something…"

Wufei didn't answer, but stared at Heero, letting him know he was listening.

Nothing came for awhile as Heero resumed gazing down at Duo. He wondered if he'd changed his mind.

Then:

"If… something happens to me, will you take care of him?"

Heero said the words slowly and with hesitation. Briefly he wondered if this was how Solo had felt when he'd made his promise to Duo to find him a lover. It nearly broke him in half to think about it; to think about someone else being there for Duo, of someone else holding him, of someone else loving him.

Quietly, Wufei pondered what Heero was asking him. He let silence fall over them once more as he thought of an answer.

It was a long time, before he said. "Only if you do something for me?"

Heero glared up at him, wondering what Wufei was going to ask him to do.

When he had Heero's full attention, Wufei smirked a little. "I'll do it. But you better not do anything reckless that makes me have to."

Heero's glare faded when he heard this. Of course he knew exactly what Wufei meant by 'reckless.' Something, that was completely of his, own doing, like self-destructing had been. Wufei would understand and forgive him for the natural course wars could take, but if he did something 'stupid' again, he wouldn't be forgiven.

"Alright." Heero breathed. He stroked Duo's face lightly.

He felt slightly better. Now, at least, he knew if something happened to him, Duo would still be taken care of. Someone would still be with him. Someone would be there to help him through.

Heero also made another promise, to himself and Duo and Wufei, that if something should happen to him, he would be there to help Wufei help Duo deal with the loss. And maybe they would never become what Duo and he were, but at least they would also have a helping hand.

TBC

Who'd have thought after it took me so long to write the last chapter that this one would be out so quick? It just seemed to flow out of me and I couldn't stop and finished in a couple hours. Guess I'd been thinking about how it would go for awhile.


	22. Chapter 22

Title: A Helping Hand 22

Author: Tayjena

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: Solo+2, 2+1x2, 3x4, 5+2, R+1

Warnings: Spoilers eps 25 & 26, TWT, sap, possession, ghost, angst, implied NCS, language, lime

Archived: Please feel free.

Beta: Chibimina

Summary: Heero's hearing a voice. Whose is it? Who is it asking him to protect and why?

Disclaimer: Don't nag, don't own a thing.

Briefly, Heero wondered if the time had come that he would have to keep the silent promise he'd made to himself back in the cell on Lunar Base.

He'd been asked to pilot the Mercurius to stop a new Gundam type. Trowa was with him in the Vayeate. The 03 pilot was confident that the pilot of the new Gundam was Quatre and optimistic that, should it turn out to be Quatre, it might be time for the three of them to join together and turn on OZ, using their own two suits - the Mercurius and the Vayeate - along with this new Gundam should it turn out to be powerful enough.

Heero had his doubts and voiced them to Trowa. They couldn't forget that whoever was in that Gundam had reportedly destroyed a colony. Something Heero had never fathomed any of the five of them being able to do.

Trowa had been right. It was Quatre inside the cockpit.

But he'd been wrong in thinking that they could turn around and attack OZ with this new suit.

Something was wrong.

Quatre had turned and fired the Gundam's beam cannon at Trowa, destroying nearly half the Vayeate.

Heero had then engaged the Gundam, proclaiming to the blond inside that he would protect the colony and kill him.

This had led to Heero's current predicament.

The Mercurius' shield had failed and Quatre's last shot had sent the suit through the outer haul of the colony behind it. He stared out between the bent metal, anticipating the next hit. The suit, along with the colony he presently rested in, would both be destroyed if hit again.

And in the back of his mind, he thought of Duo.

He thought about how he would never see him again. How he'd ignored him as he was leaving the base to come here, how the last time he'd seen him was as he crumpled to the floor after a hard punch to the gut from the undercover Trowa.

And how he never told him he loved him.

It was a regret he'd have to live and die with.

A hand of the Mercurius reached out, pushing back the protesting metal.

The white suit aimed again. A glaring light was speeding toward him.

He hoped Wufei would keep his promise.

And that Duo would forgive him.

Then, just as the impact seemed intimate, a shadow appeared. The broken form of the Vayeate was between them, taking the full brunt of the attack. The cannon fire stopped and the suit before him turned.

It took Quatre a while to understand what had happened, as Trowa called out for him to see reason. Then he ceased his fire.

"Trowa..."

Once the Vayeate turned to face the Gundam, Heero moved the Mercurius out of the shell of the colony and up behind it. Taking hold of the cannon attacked to the other suit, he shot the hand of the Gundam causing it to release its own weapon and sending it out into space.

He looked back. "Trowa... escape! The Vayeate's gonna explode!"

Trowa agreed and shot up and away from the two of them, just as Quatre called out to him.

Seizing the moment that Quatre was distracted, as his lover sped away from them in the unstable suit, Heero charged forward. Quatre protested, urging him to save Trowa, as he slammed the shoulder of the Mercurius into the gut of the other suit, hurling both of them through the door of the colony hanger.

Trowa spoke softly to Quatre as he sped away in the damaged suit. Telling him they could only accept the colonies attitude and acceptance of OZ and that Quatre wasn't alone in his thinking to try and change everything on his own. But that, that sort of thinking would only end up hurting those who were kind-hearted, and the kinder they were the more it would hurt. Then went on to say that they, the soldiers they were, were no longer needed in the new era forming and pleading with Quatre to accept it and become the nice guy he'd known.

And then, with a smile on Trowa's face, the Vayate blew up.

"Trowa...!" Quatre called out, standing the fallen Wing Zero. Before he could move for the doors, though, Heero once more slammed the Mercurius into the suit and the hanger doors closed. "Heero let me go! Trowa's gonna die!"

"And you killed him." Responded Heero indifferently, ignoring the blood trailing down his face.

"Heero…" Quatre said, dismayed by Heero's reaction.

Heero continued their fighting, beating down on the Wing Zero. "You've gone crazy. I'll kill you."

"Well hurry and kill me. Then go and rescue Trowa!"

Heero berated Quatre more. "Pretty half-hearted way to fight, I guess Trowa's death was just a waste." Then as he pressed down on the shield of the gundam, the right arm of his suit exploded, sending the Mercurius flying backward and falling on its back onto the floor of the hanger.

Heero fought against his exhaustion and pain, trying to get up to continue further. His body shook as he tried to move it. "Quatre, I'm… gonna… kill you." But he couldn't muster the strength to go on anymore and he slumped in his seat, falling unconscious as he finished his declaration.

When Heero came too again, he was still with Quatre and they had been captured, once again, by OZ and taken back to the Lunar Base. Quatre was obvious still distraught over what had happened to Trowa. And he himself wondered what had become of Duo while he'd been gone.

Of course he had no way to know that his lover as well as Wufei, after nearly being killed themselves in a lack lust way, had already escaped the base in their new, nearly completely Gundams.

As he and Quatre stepped out of the elevator with their OZ soldier escort, Quatre happened to glance up at the solider to his left outside the doors and noticed instead the remains of the Vayate. The blonde charged, throwing his shoulder into the soldier he'd just looked at and ran toward the mobile suit.

Heero, jarred from his own thoughts by the sound of the solider falling to the ground, watched Quatre as the two other soldiers began shooting at the blond. He dropped to his knees between them and swung out his right leg, quickly spinning himself around, knocking both of them to the floor with a quick sweep of his leg. He got to his feel again, eyes narrowed as he watch Quatre drop to his knees in front of the suit.

As he watched, one of the soldiers stood up behind him, and swung out his gun, striking him with butt of it and sending him across the room as he was caught off guard by the hit. He laid still on the floor as one of the soldiers spoke about permission to execute them from Commander Tsubarov. Quatre called his name and he slowly pushed himself up from the floor to glare at the men.

Then shots rang out, bullets raining down just in front of the soldiers. They turned their attention away from Heero and Quatre, looking up.

"The Treize Faction?" One of them said in question. Then all of them dropped their weapons seeing they were outnumbered.

After this Heero and Quatre were led down to the Gundam scientists, where Quatre was tested for affect from the system installed on the new gundam. Doctor J and Professor G brought them up to speed about the internal conflicts in OZ; that the Romefeller Foundation had confined Treize Khushrenada which led to OZ splitting into two factions. They also mentioned

that Lady Une had been shot and her condition was unknown.

Heero leaned against the wall with his head down, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. As he listened to all this he knew it would only be a matter of time before they were told the fates of Wufei and Duo.

J was the one to bring them up. He said they escaped during the unrest and something about their new Gundam's only being about eighty percent complete. But Heero was barely listening at this point. He heard what was being said, but was keeping himself from letting his body betray any reaction the mention of Duo might bring up. Even if Doctor J wasn't looking at him, he didn't want him to know that he was having feelings for Duo.

"How about Trowa Barton?" Heero asked carefully, and he noticed Quatre turn toward him letting out a sigh.

J answered him. "He's been MIA since the Vayeate was destroyed, probably dead."

Professor G looked over his shoulder at him and continued. "The possibility of his surviving is very low. Our force will be diminished. But that can't be helped."

"And that's our current situation." J said, finally looking at him. "Did you get all that, Heero?"

"Got it."

The professor then mentioned explaining the Treize Faction on the base, but was interrupted by Quatre begging them to look for Trowa; demanding that he was alive. He was then interrupted and they were explained the details of the system in the new Gundam, and how it affected the pilot.

Heero was barely paying attention again. He heard the words, understood them, but wasn't truly listening. His thoughts were once more on Duo. Even though Duo had escaped he could only assume he was safe. He was sure that Solo would have informed him otherwise, but with how Solo had been reacting to him lately that might not be the case. He wondered if maybe Solo would change his mind and focus instead on Wufei.

"Don't be so stupid." The childlike but still adult sounding voice entered his head. "Just because I think you're an idiot doesn't mean I'm going to change my mind. Not when you finally admit IT."

Heero glanced at Doctor J. /I wonder what he'd do if he knew I was talking to a ghost. /He nearly shuddered to think about it. /Let alone if he knew I love Duo. /

"Why is that so bad?" Solo asked quizzically, his voice suddenly confused.

Heero closed his eyes. /You don't know Doctor J or how he thinks a soldier should be. /

"I don't understand."

/Trust me Solo. You don't want to. /

Heero tuned back in completely when they were telling Quatre, the pilot in the new gundam - Quatre – was incomplete and the side-effects of the system had caused him to attack his allies. As well as how they could have demolished the Lunar Base with the combine strength of the Mercurius, Vayeate and new gundam. Then J instructing them to become perfect soldiers to survive the age of the mobile dolls, after their mental flaw as soldier had been told by Master O, who had admitted they were perfect in their physical abilities and tactical imagination, but mentally they were far from perfect, or they could go insane.

A few hours later, Heero put his personal thoughts aside and focused instead on his next task. He sat in front of a screen looking at the data on the new Gundam, Quatre standing next to him. He asked Quatre his opinion on the Wing Zero system, only to be told that Quatre had had no idea about it, just that he'd been focusing on the beam cannon and not so much on the on cockpit system.

"The beam cannon hasn't been retrieved yet. The main weapons are the beam sabre and wing vulcans on its shoulders."

"You planning to fight Heero?" asked Quatre, walking up closer to the other pilot.

"In either case we can't leave Gundam Zero in enemy hands." This statement led to Quatre admitting to wondering who their enemies and who their allies were.

"I get confused thinking about it."

"Quatre," Heero said sombrely, looking up at the blond. "The ones after your life and the targets you try to defeat are the enemy."

Quatre protested this. "But what if you were mistaken?"

"Quatre, We're not mistaken. But it's possible that this period of war has gone nuts."

Elsewhere in the base gunfire was ringing through the halls, as OZ fought against members of the Treize Faction.

Then the power went down in the area they were secured in and an announcement rang over the P.A. system:

"Members of the Treize Faction, We've surrounded your hideout. I have reservations about fighting former comrades without talking things over first. We can avoid futile bloodshed."

Heero and Quatre looked at each as they heard this and left the room they'd been in, stepping into the area where the faction and the scientists were just in time to hear Doctor J announce that they would hand over the Gundam pilots.

Moments later Heero found himself, escorted at gun point to the Gundam. They attached him to a machine to monitor his reactions to the system, this he knew, and then he jumped inside. The system came to life and soon after informing Quatre to tell them he was ready, small red blips appeared on his radar. His mind went numb and his training took over, easily destroying target after target.

Everything was going fine, his fingers, eyes and mind were moving in accordance to the simulated battle he saw before him.

Quatre watched from outside, disliking the idea of machines fighting people's battles. He turned to look at the Gundam, thinking to himself what a mistake it was.

Then suddenly Heero began to question who his enemies were, and Zero began to react to his thoughts. His earlier statement to Quatre, that the enemies were the ones that were after his life, raced through his head and Wing Zero began to move, not from the simulation but for real combat.

It shattered the catwalk before it and the shield on its left arm rose to reflect a shot from a nearby suit. Brandishing the beam sabre, a quick slice through the air and the mobile doll was spit in half. Making quick work of the mobile dolls around him, Heero's thoughts continued.

/My enemies are the people after my life. / His eyes narrowed as another thought came to him. /And the ones who toy with my life. / On the screen before him he could see the five scientists, the ones that had toyed with his life, and who would continued to if not destroyed.

While Heero went on his rampage, Quatre made way to the Mercurius. Though Oz soldiers tried to stop him, he climbed into the seat none the less.

After slicing through a steel door and destroying two more suits, Heero pulled the wires from his head. At the same moment an alarm went off inside the suit and he looked up to see the Mercurius standing before him.

Quatre tried talking to him, tried to reason with him.

Heero responded, saying that he knew who his enemy was and then charged at Quatre. As they locked arms, Quatre deployed the Mercurius' shield around them, but instead of having it deflect damage away, he turned them inward to keep the damage to just the two suits.

Heero pushed the beam sabre down even further.

Then Quatre screamed, "We aren't needed in outer space!"

Heero's eyes widened and he imagined he could see Quatre cowed in pain in the other suit. He fell back in the seat, wondering what was wrong with him, he suddenly felt sick.

The cockpit door opened and Heero slipped from inside, crashing to the floor beneath him. He looked up at the suit in front of him, whispered, "We mustn't fight each other." Then he saw another image floating over the Mercurius. An image of Relena. "Relena…"

He heard a soft cry in his head, before everything went dark.

The Mercurius flew back as the damage to its shoulder caused it to explode. Quatre carefully climbed out and then made his way to check on his friend. He set his hand on Heero's back, and then touched his chest. Smiling from what he felt from Heero, Quatre softly said, "Heero. Let's go to the Earth." Then lifting his friends arm over his shoulders, he hefted him up, only to cast one final look back at Gundam Zero. He managed to get Heero out and into an escape pod just before the Mercurius' torso exploded destroying the base and he hoped, the explosion took Zero with it.

TBC


End file.
